Shloka 28

Devanagari script

गृह्यते तेन भावेन नरो भावाद्विमुच्यते । भावतश्शुचि शुद्धात्मा स्वर्गं मोक्षं च विंदति

Transliteration

gṛhyate tena bhāvena naro bhāvādvimucyate | bhāvataśśuci śuddhātmā svargaṃ mokṣaṃ ca viṃdati

Translation

A person is bound by the very bhāva he embraces, and by that bhāva he is also released. By cultivating a pure bhāva, the inner self is cleansed and one attains heaven as well as liberation (mokṣa).

Word by Word

• गृह्यते: is grasped / is seized
• गृह्यते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive sense): ‘गृह्यते’ = is seized/held

• तेन: by that
• तेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (masc/neut), तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• भावेन: by the disposition / feeling
• भावेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masc), तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masc), प्रथमा (Nom/1st), एकवचन

• भावात्: from the disposition
• भावात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masc), पञ्चमी (Ablative/5th), एकवचन

• विमुच्यते: is freed
• विमुच्यते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-√मुच् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive sense): ‘is released/freed’; उपसर्ग वि

• भावतः: due to disposition / by nature
• भावतः: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भावतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त (ablatival adverb): ‘भावात्/भावेन कारणेन’

• शुचि: pure
• शुचि: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुचि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masc), प्रथमा (Nom/1st), एकवचन; विशेषण of शुद्धात्मा

• शुद्धात्मा: one of purified soul
• शुद्धात्मा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुद्धात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masc), प्रथमा (Nom/1st), एकवचन; समास: शुद्ध + आत्मन् (pure-souled), कर्मधारय

• स्वर्गम्: heaven
• स्वर्गम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masc), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• मोक्षम्: liberation
• मोक्षम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masc), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• विन्दति: obtains
• विन्दति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √विद् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद; धातु √विद् (to find/obtain)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva’s teaching within the Umāsaṃhitā context)

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 teaches that bondage (pāśa) and release are shaped by one’s bhāva: impure, ego-driven attitudes bind the soul, while a purified, Shiva-oriented bhāva cleanses the inner self and culminates in liberation.

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

Linga/Saguṇa-Śiva worship is effective when performed with śuddha-bhāva—reverence, surrender, and steadiness. The verse emphasizes that inner attitude is the decisive factor that turns ritual into a liberating Shaiva practice.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Cultivate śuddha-bhāva through daily Shiva-japa (especially the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), mindful Linga-pūjā, and meditative self-purification; the focus is inner cleansing rather than mere external performance.