Shloka 16

महापातकवर्णनम् (Mahāpātaka-varṇanam) — “Description of Great Sins and Their Consequences”

Devanagari script

असंस्कृतप्रदेशेषु यथेष्टं स्वापयंति च । शिवज्ञानकथाऽऽक्षेपं यः कृत्वान्यत्प्रभाषते

Transliteration

asaṃskṛtapradeśeṣu yatheṣṭaṃ svāpayaṃti ca | śivajñānakathā''kṣepaṃ yaḥ kṛtvānyatprabhāṣate

Translation

In uncultivated places they sleep as they please; and whoever, having interrupted the discourse on Śiva’s knowledge, goes on to speak of other matters—such a person turns away from the very path that leads the bound soul toward the Lord (Pati).

Word by Word

• असंस्कृतप्रदेशेषु: in unrefined/uncultured places
• असंस्कृतप्रदेशेषु: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असंस्कृतप्रदेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), बहुवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (असंस्कृतः प्रदेशः)

• यथेष्टम्: as one likes, at will
• यथेष्टम्: रीति (Manner adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथेष्ट (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययीभाव)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्ययीभाव-समास (यथा + इष्टम्) = ‘as desired/at will’

• स्वापयन्ति: make (someone) sleep
• स्वापयन्ति: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्वप् (धातु) + णिच् (causative)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद; णिजन्त (causative)

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• शिवज्ञानकथाक्षेपम्: disparagement/objection to the discourse on Śiva-knowledge
• शिवज्ञानकथाक्षेपम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिवज्ञानकथाक्षेप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (शिवज्ञानस्य कथा; तस्याः आक्षेपः)

• यः: he who
• यः: कर्ता (Karta/Agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• कृत्वा: having done/made
• कृत्वा: पूर्वकाल (Pūrvakāla/Anterior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कृ (धातु) + क्त्वा (प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund)

• अन्यत्: something else
• अन्यत्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम-विशेषणवत्

• प्रभाषते: speaks forth, talks
• प्रभाषते: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र+भाष् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva Purana teachings to the sages, Umāsaṃhitā context)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It warns that negligence, laziness, and distraction—especially interrupting Śiva-jñāna kathā—strengthen pasha (bondage) in the pashu (individual soul), whereas attentive śravaṇa supports the soul’s return toward Pati, Lord Śiva.

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

Linga/Saguna worship is sustained by right understanding and reverent listening; disrupting Shiva-knowledge discourse replaces sacred remembrance with worldly speech, weakening bhakti and the inner orientation required for Linga-upāsanā.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice disciplined śravaṇa and manana: attend Śiva-kathā without interruption, keep wakeful attention (avoid tamasic sleepiness), and support it with japa of the Panchākṣarī—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—before or after satsanga.