Shloka 20

Varṇa-adhikāra, Karma, and the Protection of One’s Attained Spiritual Status (वर्णाधिकारः कर्म च स्वस्थानरक्षणम्)

Devanagari script

सनत्कुमार उवाच । अग्निष्टोमादिभिर्यज्ञैरिष्ट्वा विपुलदक्षिणैः । न तत्फलमवाप्नोति संग्रामे यदवाप्नुयात्

Transliteration

sanatkumāra uvāca | agniṣṭomādibhiryajñairiṣṭvā vipuladakṣiṇaiḥ | na tatphalamavāpnoti saṃgrāme yadavāpnuyāt

Translation

Sanatkumāra said: Even after performing Agniṣṭoma and other Vedic sacrifices, and lavishly offering abundant dakṣiṇā, one does not attain that fruit which one may attain in battle.

Word by Word

• sanat-kumāraḥ: Sanatkumāra
• sanat-kumāraḥ: Karta (कर्ता) — speaker/subject of uvāca
• Type: Noun
• Root: sanat (प्रातिपदिक) + kumāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; कर्मधारयः (sanat kumāraḥ = eternal youth; proper name)

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: Liṭ-lakāra (Perfect), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Ekavacana; parasmaipada

• agniṣṭoma-ādibhiḥ: with (sacrifices) beginning with Agniṣṭoma
• agniṣṭoma-ādibhiḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) — qualifies yajñaiḥ
• Type: Adjective
• Root: agniṣṭoma (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā, Bahuvacana; instrumental plural; तत्पुरुषः (agniṣṭomaḥ ādiḥ yeṣām = beginning with Agniṣṭoma)

• yajñaiḥ: by sacrifices
• yajñaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण) — means (having performed by sacrifices)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yajña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā, Bahuvacana

• iṣṭvā: having performed (sacrifices)
• iṣṭvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया) — prior action to avāpnoti
• Type: Verb
• Root: yaj (धातु) + iṣṭvā (कृदन्त; क्त्वा/absolutive)
• Form: Avyaya-kṛdanta (क्त्वान्त/gerund), pūrvakāla (prior action): 'having sacrificed/performed'

• vipula-dakṣiṇaiḥ: with abundant sacrificial fees
• vipula-dakṣiṇaiḥ: Sahakārī/Karaṇa (सहकारी/करण) — accompaniment/means
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vipula (प्रातिपदिक) + dakṣiṇā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (dakṣiṇā), Tṛtīyā, Bahuvacana; कर्मधारयः (vipulā dakṣiṇā = abundant fee/gift); agrees with yajñaiḥ by sense (instrumental accompaniment)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध) — negates avāpnoti
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; negation particle (निषेध)

• tat-phalam: that result
• tat-phalam: Karma (कर्म) — object of avāpnoti
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + phala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; तत्पुरुषः (tasya phalam = that fruit/result)

• avāpnoti: attains
• avāpnoti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ava + āp (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra (Present), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Ekavacana; parasmaipada

• saṃgrāme: in battle
• saṃgrāme: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण) — locus ('in battle')
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃgrāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Saptamī (7th/सप्तमी), Ekavacana

• yat: which
• yat: Karma (कर्म) — object of avāpnuyāt (relative clause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; relative pronoun referring to phalam

• avāpnuyāt: might attain
• avāpnuyāt: Kriyā (क्रिया) — relative clause action
• Type: Verb
• Root: ava + āp (धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-liṅ (विधिलिङ्/Optative), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Ekavacana; parasmaipada; potential/conditional sense

Speaker

Sanatkumara

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

FAQs

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

The verse ranks the intense, self-risking commitment to dharma in a righteous battle as yielding a merit that even costly Vedic sacrifices may not match, emphasizing inner resolve and self-offering over mere external ritual.

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

In a Shaiva reading, the highest fruit is not purchased by offerings alone; it is gained by surrender, courage, and dharmic intention—qualities that make worship of Saguna Shiva (including Linga worship) effective when joined with right conduct.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is to unite ritual with dharmic discipline: perform Shiva worship with steady intention (bhāva), and cultivate fearlessness and self-control as an inner yajna—rather than relying only on costly external rites.