Shloka 22

Saṃjñā–Chāyā Upākhyāna: Sūrya-tejas, Substitution, and the Birth of Manu, Yama, and Yamunā

Devanagari script

न शक्यते तन्मिथ्या वै कर्त्तुं मातृवचस्तव । कृमयो मांसमादाय गमिष्यंति महीतले

Transliteration

na śakyate tanmithyā vai karttuṃ mātṛvacastava | kṛmayo māṃsamādāya gamiṣyaṃti mahītale

Translation

It is not possible to make your mother’s statement false. Worms will take away the flesh and move about upon the earth.

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (particle of negation)

• शक्यते: is possible
• शक्यते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शक् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive) ‘is possible’

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• मिथ्या: falsely/into falsehood
• मिथ्या: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मिथ्या (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (Adverb)

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

• कर्तुम्: to do/make
• कर्तुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/Purpose)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (Infinitive), ‘to do/make’

• मातृवचः: mother’s word
• मातृवचः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ + वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: मातृ (षष्ठी) + वचस् (तत्पुरुष); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• तव: your
• तव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• कृमयः: worms
• कृमयः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• मांसम्: flesh
• मांसम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मांस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• आदाय: having taken
• आदाय: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-दा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय-भाव (Gerund/Absolutive), ‘having taken’

• गमिष्यन्ति: will go
• गमिष्यन्ति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• महीतले: on the earth’s surface
• महीतले: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महीतल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: मही + तल (तत्पुरुष); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

Speaker

Parvati (Umā)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Memento-mori teaching: bodily decay underscores impermanence and the inevitability of karmic fruition, turning the mind toward Śiva as the only stable refuge beyond māyā.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Parvati

FAQs

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

The verse stresses satya (truthfulness) and the inevitability of bodily decay, encouraging vairāgya (detachment) so the seeker turns toward Pati (Śiva) rather than clinging to the perishable deha.

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

By highlighting the body’s impermanence, it redirects devotion to the enduring refuge—Saguna Śiva worshipped as the Liṅga—through whom the soul (paśu) is freed from bondage (pāśa).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is daily remembrance of impermanence while doing japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and maintaining purity and truthfulness as part of Shaiva vrata-discipline.