Shloka 40

Devanagari script

अध्रुवेण शरीरेण ध्रुवं यो न प्रसाधयेत् । ध्रुवं तस्य परिभ्रष्टमध्रुवं नष्टमेव च

Transliteration

adhruveṇa śarīreṇa dhruvaṃ yo na prasādhayet | dhruvaṃ tasya paribhraṣṭamadhruvaṃ naṣṭameva ca

Translation

Whoever, using this impermanent body, does not strive to realize the Eternal—Śiva, the Everlasting—for him the Eternal is lost, and the impermanent too is destroyed all the same.

Word by Word

• अध्रुवेण: with the impermanent
• अध्रुवेण: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अध्रुव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः (करण/Instrumental), एकवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• शरीरेण: with the body
• शरीरेण: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः (करण/Instrumental), एकवचनम्

• ध्रुवम्: the permanent (goal)
• ध्रुवम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्रुव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (कर्म/Accusative), एकवचनम्

• यः: who
• यः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (कर्ता/Nominative), एकवचनम्; सम्बन्धबोधकः (relative pronoun)

• न: not
• न: सम्बन्ध (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्ययम् (negative particle)

• प्रसाधयेत्: should accomplish/attain
• प्रसाधयेत्: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + साध् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्

• ध्रुवम्: the permanent (good)
• ध्रुवम्: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्रुव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (कर्ता/Nominative), एकवचनम्; (फल/परिणामरूपेण)

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: सम्बन्ध (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्गे षष्ठी-विभक्तिः (सम्बन्ध/Genitive), एकवचनम्

• परिभ्रष्टम्: is lost/has fallen away
• परिभ्रष्टम्: विशेषण (Predicate adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परि + भ्रंश् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्तः (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त), नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• अध्रुवम्: the impermanent (thing)
• अध्रुवम्: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्रुव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (कर्ता/Nominative), एकवचनम्

• नष्टम्: destroyed
• नष्टम्: विशेषण (Predicate adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नश् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्तः (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त), नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: सम्बन्ध (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्ययम् (emphatic particle)

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

Speaker

Lord Shiva (as a philosophical instructor within the Umāsaṃhitā discourse)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a jyotirliṅga episode; doctrinal core: the adhruva body must be used to attain the dhruva (Śiva). Failure loses both—mokṣa and even worldly stability.

Significance: Interprets pilgrimage and worship as urgent means to turn impermanent embodiment into a vehicle for attaining the Permanent; emphasizes mokṣa over transient gains.

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It urges urgency and right use of human life: the body is temporary, so one should employ it for Shiva-realization (the dhruva). Otherwise, one loses both—missing liberation while still inevitably losing the body.

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

The Linga and Saguna worship are practical means for embodied beings to approach the Eternal. Through devotion, purity, and steady practice centered on Shiva, the perishable body becomes an instrument for reaching the imperishable Reality.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Regular Shiva-sadhana: japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namah Shivaya), meditation on Shiva/Linga, and disciplined living with detachment—so the transient body serves the pursuit of the Eternal.