Shloka 28

तपसो महिमा

The Greatness and Typology of Tapas

Devanagari script

एवं योनिषु सर्वासु प्रतिक्रम्य भ्रमेण त । कालांतरवशाद्याति मानुष्यमतिदुर्लभम्

Transliteration

evaṃ yoniṣu sarvāsu pratikramya bhrameṇa ta | kālāṃtaravaśādyāti mānuṣyamatidurlabham

Translation

Thus, after wandering in delusion through all kinds of wombs and repeatedly passing from one birth to another, a being—only after a long passage of time—attains the exceedingly rare human state.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (adverb: thus/in this manner)

• योनिषु: in births/wombs
• योनिषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन

• सर्वासु: in all
• सर्वासु: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• प्रतिक्रम्य: having passed through
• प्रतिक्रम्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति+क्रम् (धातु) → प्रतिक्रम्य (कृदन्त)
• Form: अव्ययभाव (gerund/क्त्वान्त); “having gone/stepped through”

• भ्रमेण: by wandering
• भ्रमेण: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भ्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; करण/हेतु-प्रयोग (by/through wandering)

• तत्: then/that
• तत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम; (पाठे ‘त’ इति संक्षेपः)

• काल-अन्तर-वशात्: due to the force of time (after an interval)
• काल-अन्तर-वशात्: Apadana/Hetu (अपादान/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्तर (प्रातिपदिक) + वश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; अपादान-हेतु (from/owing to the power of time-interval)

• आयाति: comes; reaches
• आयाति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ+या (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present); प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मानुष्यम्: human state/birth
• मानुष्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानुष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• अति-दुर्लभम्: extremely rare
• अति-दुर्लभम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति (अव्यय/उपसर्ग) + दुर्लभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; अव्ययीभावः—अतिदुर्लभ = extremely rare

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: long temporal cycles implied (kālāntara) within saṃsāra

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It stresses that human birth is a rare spiritual opportunity gained after long wandering in saṁsāra; therefore one should use this life for Shiva-oriented sādhanā that cuts delusion and karmic bondage.

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

Since human birth is difficult to obtain, the Purana implies it should be directed toward accessible Saguna worship—especially Linga-upāsanā—through which the bound soul (paśu) turns to Pati (Shiva) for release from repeated embodiment.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is steady japa of the Panchākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with daily Shiva-pūjā (Linga abhiṣeka), supported by dhyāna and ethical living to reduce bhrānti (delusion) and saṁsāric wandering.