Shloka 44

Dehāśucitā-vicāraḥ

Inquiry into the Impurity of the Body

Devanagari script

संसारे क्लिश्यते तेन गर्भलोभवशानुगः । गर्भस्मृतेन पापेन समुज्झितमतिः पुमान्

Transliteration

saṃsāre kliśyate tena garbhalobhavaśānugaḥ | garbhasmṛtena pāpena samujjhitamatiḥ pumān

Translation

Therefore, in saṃsāra a man suffers, driven by the compulsion of craving for embodiment and birth. By the sin of fixation upon the womb (rebirth), his discernment is cast away, and he becomes deluded.

Word by Word

• संसारे: in the world / in worldly existence
• संसारे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संसार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• क्लिश्यते: is afflicted / suffers
• क्लिश्यते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्लिश् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• तेन: by that / because of that
• तेन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/करण), एकवचन

• गर्भ-लोभ-वश-अनुगः: one who follows the control of desire for the womb (i.e., lust for procreation)
• गर्भ-लोभ-वश-अनुगः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गर्भ (प्रातिपदिक) + लोभ (प्रातिपदिक) + वश (प्रातिपदिक) + अनुग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन; समासः—(गर्भे लोभः) षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष, (लोभस्य वशः) षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष, (वशस्य अनुगः) षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष

• गर्भ-स्मृतेन: by the remembrance/thought of the womb
• गर्भ-स्मृतेन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गर्भ (प्रातिपदिक) + स्मृत (कृदन्त; स्मृ धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/करण), एकवचन; समासः—गर्भस्य स्मृतम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• पापेन: by sin
• पापेन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/करण), एकवचन

• समुज्झित-मतिः: whose mind is cast off / bewildered
• समुज्झित-मतिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-उद्-झा (धातु) + मतिः (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन; समुज्झित (भूतकृदन्त/PPP) + मतिः—कर्मधारयः (समुज्झिता मतिः यस्य)

• पुमान्: a man
• पुमान्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुमांस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that bondage (pāśa) intensifies when consciousness clings to embodied existence; craving for repeated birth dulls discrimination, keeping the soul circling in saṃsāra rather than turning to Shiva (Pati) for liberation.

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

By recognizing that attachment to embodiment is a cause of suffering, the seeker is directed toward Saguna Shiva worship—especially Linga-upāsanā—as a stabilizing focus that purifies desire and restores right discernment leading toward Shiva’s grace.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Cultivate vairāgya while practicing Shiva-japa (especially the Pañcākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and steady Linga-dhyāna to reverse womb-fixation into God-remembrance, weakening the bonds of saṃsāra.