Shloka 33

Devanagari script

काशीविश्वेशयोर्भक्त्या तन्नामजपकारकाः । निर्लिप्ताः कर्मभिर्न्नित्यं केवल्यपदभागिनः

Transliteration

kāśīviśveśayorbhaktyā tannāmajapakārakāḥ | nirliptāḥ karmabhirnnityaṃ kevalyapadabhāginaḥ

Translation

Those who, with devotion to Kāśī and to Viśveśa (Lord Śiva as the Lord of the Universe), constantly engage in the japa of His Name remain ever untouched by karmic actions and become sharers in the state of Kevalya—liberation in Śiva’s oneness.

Word by Word

• काशी-विश्वेशयोः: of Kāśī and Viśveśa
• काशी-विश्वेशयोः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काशी (प्रातिपदिक) + विश्वेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग/स्त्रीलिङ्ग-समाहार (द्वन्द्व), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध/Genitive), द्विवचन; अर्थः “of Kāśī and Viśveśa”

• भक्त्या: by devotion
• भक्त्या: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण/Instrumental), एकवचन

• तत्-नाम-जप-कारकाः: performers of the chanting of His name
• तत्-नाम-जप-कारकाः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + नामन् (प्रातिपदिक) + जप (प्रातिपदिक) + कारक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः—तस्य नाम्नः जपः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष) + कारकः (उपपद-तत्पुरुषः: “one who performs”)

• निर्लिप्ताः: untainted
• निर्लिप्ताः: कर्तृ-विशेषण (Qualifier of subject/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्-लिप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle used adjectivally), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; अर्थः “unsoiled/untainted”

• कर्मभिः: by actions; by karmas
• कर्मभिः: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• नित्यं: always
• नित्यं: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial/क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावेन प्रयुक्तम्; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (temporal adverb)

• केवल्य-पद-भागिनः: partakers of the state of absolute liberation
• केवल्य-पद-भागिनः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केवल्य (प्रातिपदिक) + पद (प्रातिपदिक) + भागिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः—केवल्यस्य पदम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष) + भागिन् “भागं लभते” (तत्पुरुष: “sharer/partaker”)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Viśvanātha

Sthala Purana: The fruit of devotion to Kāśī and Viśveśa is stated in soteriological terms: nāma-japa leads to karmic non-adherence (nirliptatā) and kevalya. In Śaiva Siddhānta idiom, this points to Śiva’s anugraha loosening pāśa (bondage) so the paśu attains liberation.

Significance: Establishes nāma-japa in Kāśī as a direct means to transcend karmic bondage and attain kevalya/mokṣa; reinforces Kāśī as bhukti-mukti-kṣetra with emphasis on mukti through practice.

Mantra Metadata

Type: panchakshara

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Vishveshvara
• Kashi

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in the Shiva Purana?

It teaches that devotion to Kāśī and Viśveśa expressed through constant Shiva-nāma japa makes one inwardly unattached to karma and fit for Kevalya—final liberation aligned with Śiva as Pati (the Supreme Lord).

How does this verse relate to the worship of the Linga or Saguna Shiva?

Viśveśa in Kāśī is worshipped as Saguna Śiva (often through the Liṅga as Viśvanātha/Viśveśvara). The verse highlights that loving devotion and Name-recitation centered on this manifest Lord leads beyond karmic bondage to the liberating reality of Śiva.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Regular japa of Lord Shiva’s Name (such as the Panchākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” or Shiva-nāma) performed with bhakti, ideally in a spirit of detachment from results, is the key practice implied.