Shloka 14
Pitṛbhakti and Śrāddha: The Classification of Pitṛs and the Superiority of Pitṛ-kārya
तेषां पथि क्षुधार्तानां बाल्यान्मोहाच्च भारत । क्रूरा बुद्धिस्समुत्पन्ना तां गां तै हिंसितुं तदा
teṣāṃ pathi kṣudhārtānāṃ bālyānmohācca bhārata | krūrā buddhissamutpannā tāṃ gāṃ tai hiṃsituṃ tadā
O Bhārata, as they travelled on the road, tormented by hunger and deluded by childish folly, a cruel intention arose in them then—to injure that cow.
Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages, addressing a listener as 'Bhārata' within the story-frame)
Tattva Level: pasha
Shiva Form: Bhairava
Shakti Form: Durgā
Role: protective
FAQs
It shows how hunger and moha (delusion) can awaken krūra-buddhi (cruel resolve), binding the jīva in pāśa (bondage) and producing heavy karma; Shaiva teaching urges restraint and dharmic compassion to move toward Shiva’s grace.
In the Shiva Purana’s devotional frame, Saguna Shiva (worshipped as the Linga) is approached through purity of conduct; abandoning हिंसा (harm) and cruel intention is part of preparing the mind for Linga-upāsanā and receiving Shiva’s anugraha (grace).
A practical takeaway is to counter cruel impulses with japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and cultivate ahimsa as a vrata; this aligns the mind toward sattva and supports steady devotion.