Shloka 42

Dehāśucitā-vicāraḥ

Inquiry into the Impurity of the Body

Devanagari script

न शृणोति परं श्रेयस्सति कर्णेऽपि सन्मुने । न पश्यति परं श्रेयस्सति चक्षुषि तत्क्षमे

Transliteration

na śṛṇoti paraṃ śreyassati karṇe'pi sanmune | na paśyati paraṃ śreyassati cakṣuṣi tatkṣame

Translation

O noble sage, though one has ears, one does not truly hear of the Supreme Good; and though one has capable eyes, one does not truly see that Supreme Good.

Word by Word

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• śṛṇoti: hears
• śṛṇoti: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śru (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• param: supreme/highest
• param: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (श्रेयः-विशेषण)

• śreyaḥ: the good/the highest welfare
• śreyaḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śreyas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• sati: while (it) exists/though (it) is present
• sati: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सत्-शब्दः (वर्तमान/अस्ति-भाव), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सति-सप्तमी (locative absolute)

• karṇe: in the ear
• karṇe: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सति-सप्तमी-सम्बद्ध

• api: even
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अपि-कारक (even/also)

• sanmune: O good sage
• sanmune: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sat (प्रातिपदिक) + muni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः: सन् मुनिः (कर्मधारयः ‘good sage’); पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• paśyati: sees
• paśyati: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √paś (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• param: supreme/highest
• param: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (श्रेयः-विशेषण)

• śreyaḥ: the good/the highest welfare
• śreyaḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śreyas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• sati: though present
• sati: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सति-सप्तमी (locative absolute)

• cakṣuṣi: in the eye
• cakṣuṣi: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cakṣus (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सति-सप्तमी-सम्बद्ध

• tat-kṣame: though capable therein
• tat-kṣame: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक) + kṣama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः: तस्मिन् क्षमे (सप्तमी-तत्पुरुषः/‘capable in that’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सति-सप्तमी-सम्बद्ध विशेषण

Speaker

Lord Shiva (teaching a sage within the Umāsaṃhitā philosophical discourse)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that mere physical senses are insufficient for realizing the Highest Good (paraṃ śreyas). Due to pasha (bondage—impurity, karma, and delusion), a person may have functioning ears and eyes yet remain unable to apprehend Shiva-tattva and the moksha-leading truth.

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

Linga and Saguna Shiva worship trains the mind and senses toward the Divine. When devotion (bhakti) matures into inner purity and discernment, the practitioner begins to truly 'hear' (śravaṇa) the teachings and 'see' (darśana) the presence of Shiva beyond external form.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Cultivate śravaṇa-manana (hearing and contemplation) with japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), supported by purificatory observances like Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrāksha, so the senses become instruments of inner awakening rather than distraction.