Shloka 45

Dehāśucitā-vicāraḥ

Inquiry into the Impurity of the Body

Devanagari script

इत्थं महत्परं दिव्यं शास्त्रमुक्तं शिवेन तु । तपसः कथनार्थाय स्वर्गमोक्षप्रसाधनम्

Transliteration

itthaṃ mahatparaṃ divyaṃ śāstramuktaṃ śivena tu | tapasaḥ kathanārthāya svargamokṣaprasādhanam

Translation

Thus, this supremely great and divine scripture was spoken by Lord Śiva to expound the discipline of tapas; it is a means that brings about both heaven and liberation (mokṣa).

Word by Word

• इत्थम्: thus / in this manner
• इत्थम्: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इत्थम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of manner)

• महत्-परम्: supremely great
• महत्-परम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक) + पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—महत् च तत् परम् च

• दिव्यम्: divine
• दिव्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दिव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन

• शास्त्रम्: treatise / scripture
• शास्त्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शास्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन

• उक्तम्: spoken / declared
• उक्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (PPP/क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे ‘शास्त्रम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• शिवेन: by Śiva
• शिवेन: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/कर्तृ-करण), एकवचन

• तु: indeed / but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/विरोधार्थक निपात (particle: emphasis/contrast)

• तपसः: of austerity / of penance
• तपसः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• कथन-अर्थाय: for the purpose of explaining
• कथन-अर्थाय: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कथन (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन; समासः—कथनस्य अर्थः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• स्वर्ग-मोक्ष-प्रसाधनम्: a means to attain heaven and liberation
• स्वर्ग-मोक्ष-प्रसाधनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वर्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + मोक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रसाधन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन; समासः—(स्वर्गस्य मोक्षस्य च) द्वन्द्व-समाहार-भावः + तयोः प्रसाधनम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Affirms śāstra and tapas as Śiva’s grace-medium leading to svarga (abhyudaya) and mokṣa (niḥśreyasa); encourages disciplined practice under Śiva’s teaching.

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It declares Śiva as the revealer of a divine śāstra whose purpose is to teach tapas as a transformative discipline that culminates in both higher enjoyment (svarga) and final release (mokṣa) under the Lord’s grace.

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

By affirming that the teaching is spoken by Śiva, it supports Saguna devotion—approaching Śiva as the compassionate Lord who gives practical disciplines (like tapas) that mature worship into liberation, which Linga-worship traditionally embodies.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The verse points to tapas—regular self-discipline such as vrata (vows), japa of Śiva-mantras (e.g., Panchākṣarī), and steady worship—undertaken with devotion to Śiva as the means leading toward mokṣa.