Shloka 51

Devanagari script

बाल्ये दुःखमतीत्यैव पश्यन्नपि विमूढधीः । न कुर्वीतात्मनः श्रेयस्तदत्र महदद्भुतम्

Transliteration

bālye duḥkhamatītyaiva paśyannapi vimūḍhadhīḥ | na kurvītātmanaḥ śreyastadatra mahadadbhutam

Translation

Even after passing through the sufferings of childhood, though he sees the truth plainly, the deluded-minded person still does not undertake what is truly beneficial for his own Ātman—this indeed is the great wonder here.

Word by Word

• बाल्ये: in childhood
• बाल्ये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाल्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Loc. 7), एकवचन (sg.)

• दुःखम्: sorrow
• दुःखम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुःख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Acc. 2), एकवचन (sg.)

• अतीत्य: having passed beyond
• अतीत्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अति-इ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव (indeclinable form)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण (emphatic particle)

• पश्यन्: seeing
• पश्यन्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पश् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (present active participle/शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nom. 1), एकवचन (sg.)

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपेक्षा (particle: even/also)

• विमूढ-धीः: one whose intellect is deluded
• विमूढ-धीः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विमूढ (प्रातिपदिक) + धी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nom. 1), एकवचन (sg.)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध (negation particle)

• कुर्वीत: should do
• कुर्वीत: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd), एकवचन (sg.), परस्मैपद

• आत्मनः: for oneself / of oneself
• आत्मनः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Gen. 6), एकवचन (sg.)

• श्रेयः: the good / welfare
• श्रेयः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रेयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Acc. 2), एकवचन (sg.)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nom. 1), एकवचन (sg.)

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Desha-adhikarana (देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• महत्: great
• महत्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nom. 1), एकवचन (sg.); विशेषण

• अद्भुतम्: a wonder
• अद्भुतम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अद्भुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nom. 1), एकवचन (sg.)

Speaker

Lord Shiva (teaching within the Umāsaṃhitā discourse)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It highlights the paradox of human life: even after witnessing suffering and impermanence, the bound soul (paśu) remains deluded by pāśa (bondage) and neglects śreyas—turning toward Shiva (Pati) through right knowledge, devotion, and discipline.

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

By calling neglect of śreyas ‘astonishing,’ the verse urges a decisive shift from mere worldly reaction to deliberate Shiva-sādhanā—Linga worship as a tangible (saguṇa) support that steadies the mind and redirects life toward liberation.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Take up a consistent daily practice aimed at śreyas: Panchākṣarī japa (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), Linga-archana with devotion, and simple disciplines like Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa as reminders to overcome delusion and live for liberation.