Shloka 49

Devanagari script

कृत्वापि सुमहत्पापं यः पश्चादन्नदो भवेत् । विमुक्तस्सर्वपापेभ्यस्स्वर्गलोकं स गच्छति

Transliteration

kṛtvāpi sumahatpāpaṃ yaḥ paścādannado bhavet | vimuktassarvapāpebhyassvargalokaṃ sa gacchati

Translation

Even if a person has committed a very great sin, if afterward he becomes a giver of food, he is freed from all sins and attains the heavenly world.

Word by Word

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive), ‘having done’

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अवधान/समुच्चय (particle: even/also)

• सु-महत्-पापम्: a very great sin
• सु-महत्-पापम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + महत् (प्रातिपदिक) + पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (intensifying descriptive)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; सम्बन्धवाचक सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• पश्चात्: afterwards
• पश्चात्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पश्चात् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (temporal adverb)

• अन्न-दः: giver of food
• अन्न-दः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्न (प्रातिपदिक) + द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष (giver of X)

• भवेत्: may become
• भवेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• विमुक्तः: freed, released
• विमुक्तः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + मुच् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• सर्व-पापेभ्यः: from all sins
• सर्व-पापेभ्यः: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th case), बहुवचन; कर्मधारय (all + sins)

• स्वर्ग-लोकम्: the heavenly world
• स्वर्ग-लोकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (heaven’s world)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• गच्छति: goes
• गच्छति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva Purana teachings to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Promises strong expiatory fruit (pāpa-kṣaya) through annadāna; commonly institutionalized as feeding at Śiva kṣetras for purification and merit.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Annapūrṇā

Role: liberating

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse teaches that annadāna (feeding others) is a powerful act of dharma that purifies grave karmic faults; in a Shaiva ethical frame, compassionate service becomes a concrete means of loosening pāśa (bondage) and restoring purity of conduct.

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

In Linga-centered Shaiva practice, worship is not only ritual but also seva; offering food to beings is treated as an extension of offering to Shiva present in all. Thus annadāna complements saguna upāsanā by turning devotion into compassionate action.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform annadāna—especially on Shiva days (Mahāśivarātri, Mondays, pradoṣa)—and dedicate the merit to Lord Shiva; it may be paired with simple japa such as “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” while serving food.