Shloka 30

तपसो महिमा

The Greatness and Typology of Tapas

Devanagari script

मानुष्यं च समासाद्य स्वर्गमोक्षप्रसाधनम् । नाचरत्यात्मनः श्रेयस्स मृतश्शोचते चिरम्

Transliteration

mānuṣyaṃ ca samāsādya svargamokṣaprasādhanam | nācaratyātmanaḥ śreyassa mṛtaśśocate ciram

Translation

Having attained human birth—the means for accomplishing heaven and liberation—one who does not practice what is truly beneficial for the Self (Ātman), after death, grieves for a long time.

Word by Word

• मानुष्यं: human birth/state
• मानुष्यं: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानुष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; Neuter, Accusative, Singular

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

• समासाद्य: having attained/obtained
• समासाद्य: Kriya-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-√सद् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive), पूर्वकाल; having approached/obtained

• स्वर्गमोक्षप्रसाधनम्: means to heaven and liberation
• स्वर्गमोक्षप्रसाधनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + मोक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रसाधन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Neuter, Accusative, Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (स्वर्गमोक्षयोः प्रसाधनम्)

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• आचरति: practices/does
• आचरति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-√चर् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; Parasmaipada

• आत्मनः: of oneself
• आत्मनः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• श्रेयः: the highest good
• श्रेयः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रेयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Masculine, Nominative, Singular (pronoun)

• मृतः: dead (having died)
• मृतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृत (√मृ धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय; कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• शोचते: grieves
• शोचते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √शुच् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• चिरम्: for a long time
• चिरम्: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चिरम् (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It declares human birth as a rare gateway to svarga and moksha; neglecting śreyas—right conduct, devotion, and inner purification oriented to Shiva—leads to prolonged post-death regret and sorrow.

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

In Shaiva Siddhanta, śreyas is fulfilled through disciplined Shiva-upasana—Linga worship, mantra-japa, and dharmic living—using the human body-mind as the instrument to loosen pāśa (bondage) and turn toward Pati (Shiva).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is daily Shiva-sadhana: Panchakshara japa (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), Linga-archana with bhakti, and purificatory observances such as Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa, aligned with ethical self-discipline.