Shloka 20

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

Devanagari script

गुरुमार्त्तमशक्तं च विदेशं प्रस्थितं तथा । वैरिभिः परिभूतं वा यस्संत्यजति पापकृत्

Transliteration

gurumārttamaśaktaṃ ca videśaṃ prasthitaṃ tathā | vairibhiḥ paribhūtaṃ vā yassaṃtyajati pāpakṛt

Translation

Whoever abandons his Guru—when the teacher is afflicted, weakened, has set out for a foreign land, or is oppressed by enemies—such a person is a doer of sin.

Word by Word

• गुरुम्: teacher/elder
• गुरुम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन (masc., acc. sg)

• आर्तम्: distressed/afflicted
• आर्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (masc., acc. sg; qualifying ‘गुरुम्’)

• अशक्तम्: incapable/weak
• अशक्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ + शक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (masc., acc. sg; qualifying ‘गुरुम्’)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• विदेशम्: foreign land
• विदेशम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विदेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन (acc. sg)

• प्रस्थितम्: departed/set out
• प्रस्थितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र√स्था (धातु) + प्रस्थित (क्त, प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय, past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (masc., acc. sg; ‘having departed’)

• तथा: likewise/also
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकार-अव्यय (adverb: ‘thus/likewise’)

• वैरिभिः: by enemies
• वैरिभिः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन (instrumental plural)

• परिभूतम्: humiliated/overpowered
• परिभूतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परि√भू (धातु) + परिभूत (क्त, प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (masc., acc. sg; ‘insulted/overpowered’)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्प-अव्यय (disjunctive particle ‘or’)

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

• सन्त्यजति: abandons/renounces
• सन्त्यजति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्√त्यज् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (present indicative, 3rd sg)

• पापकृत्: a sinner/evil-doer
• पापकृत्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप + कृत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन; ‘पापं करोति’ इति (agent noun; nominative singular)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

FAQs

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

It teaches that loyalty and service to the guru are core Shaiva dharma; abandoning the teacher in times of distress strengthens bondage (pāśa) through selfishness and produces demerit, obstructing Shiva-realization.

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

In Shaiva practice, correct Linga-worship and mantra-dīkṣā are received through the guru; forsaking the guru undermines the very transmission that makes Saguna Shiva worship disciplined and spiritually fruitful.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The implied practice is guru-sevā and fidelity to one’s initiated Shaiva observances—daily japa of the Panchākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and regular Shiva-pūjā—performed without abandoning the teacher during hardship.