Shloka 26

Devanagari script

आदर्शवन्मुनेस्नेहैस्तिलवत्स निपीड्यते । अरं गच्छेति चाप्येनं कुरुते ज्ञानमोहितः

Transliteration

ādarśavanmunesnehaistilavatsa nipīḍyate | araṃ gaccheti cāpyenaṃ kurute jñānamohitaḥ

Translation

Deluded in understanding, he presses the calf close with affection—like one clinging to a mirror-image—and then tells it, “Enough; go away,” thus treating it with confused judgment.

Word by Word

• आदर्शवत्: like a mirror
• आदर्शवत्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आदर्श (प्रातिपदिक) + वत् (तद्धित)
• Form: उपमानार्थक-अव्यय (adverbial: 'like a mirror'); वत्-प्रत्ययान्त-प्रयोगः

• मुनेः: of the sage
• मुनेः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• स्नेहैः: by affections/attachments
• स्नेहैः: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नेह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• तिलवत्: like sesame (seed)
• तिलवत्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तिल (प्रातिपदिक) + वत् (तद्धित)
• Form: उपमानार्थक-अव्यय (adverbial: 'like sesame'); वत्-प्रत्ययान्त-प्रयोगः

• निपीड्यते: is pressed/squeezed
• निपीड्यते: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि√पीड् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), कर्मणि-प्रयोग (Passive), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• अरम्: enough!
• अरम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अरम् (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध/पर्याप्त्यर्थक-अव्यय (particle: 'enough/stop')

• गच्छ: go
• गच्छ: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √गम् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उक्त्यर्थक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अप्यर्थक-अव्यय (particle: 'also/even')

• एनम्: him/this one
• एनम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• कुरुते: does/makes
• कुरुते: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• ज्ञानमोहितः: deluded by (mere) knowledge
• ज्ञानमोहितः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्ञान + मोहित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √मुह् धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तृतीया/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषभावः (ज्ञानena/ज्ञानस्य मोहितः = deluded by/through knowledge)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Uma Samhita teaching to the sages)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: A psychological teaching useful for sādhana: the soul alternates between clinging and rejecting due to moha; pilgrimage and guru-upadeśa stabilize viveka and open the way for Śiva’s anugraha.

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It exposes jñāna-moha—confused discernment—where attachment and aversion alternate without wisdom; Shaiva teaching urges viveka and turning to Pati (Shiva) beyond reflected, unstable worldly grasping.

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

The verse highlights how the mind clings to appearances; Linga-worship steadies devotion by fixing attention on Shiva as the true refuge (Pati), reducing oscillation between grasping and rejection caused by pasha (bondage).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice japa of the Panchakshara (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with breath-awareness and daily Tripundra (bhasma) as a reminder of impermanence, cultivating vairagya to weaken moha-driven attachment.