Shloka 32

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

Devanagari script

यत्किंचिद्धि व्रतं गृह्य नियमं यजनं तथा । संत्यागः पञ्चयज्ञानां सुरापानस्य तत्समम्

Transliteration

yatkiṃciddhi vrataṃ gṛhya niyamaṃ yajanaṃ tathā | saṃtyāgaḥ pañcayajñānāṃ surāpānasya tatsamam

Translation

Whatever vow (vrata) one undertakes, whatever discipline (niyama) one adopts, and whatever worship or sacrificial rite (yajña) one performs—if one abandons the five daily sacrifices (pañca-yajñas), that abandonment is regarded as equivalent to drinking intoxicating liquor.

Word by Word

• यत्: whatever
• यत्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd—प्रथमा/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); relative pronoun used adjectivally

• किंचित्: any (at all)
• किंचित्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd—प्रथमा/द्वितीया), Singular; indefinite pronoun used adjectivally

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha/Avyaya (सम्बन्ध/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात) expressing emphasis/indeed

• व्रतम्: vow
• व्रतम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st—प्रथमा), Singular; subject in list

• गृह्य: having undertaken
• गृह्य: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा-प्रत्ययार्थे ल्यप्—गृह्य), ‘having taken/undertaken’

• नियमम्: observance/restriction
• नियमम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नियम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st—प्रथमा), Singular; coordinated item

• यजनम्: sacrifice/worship
• यजनम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st—प्रथमा), Singular; coordinated item

• तथा: and likewise
• तथा: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण) meaning ‘thus/also’

• संत्यागः: abandonment/renunciation
• संत्यागः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सं + त्याग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st—प्रथमा), Singular; main subject

• पञ्चयज्ञानाम्: of the five sacrifices
• पञ्चयज्ञानाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्च + यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th—षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन); dvigu compound ‘five sacrifices’

• सुरापानस्य: of liquor-drinking
• सुरापानस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुरा + पान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Genitive (6th—षष्ठी), Singular; tatpuruṣa ‘drinking of liquor’

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st—प्रथमा), Singular; demonstrative used adjectivally with ‘समम्’

• समम्: equal
• समम्: Pradhana-predicative (विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st—प्रथमा), Singular; predicate adjective

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the teaching of dharma in the Umāsaṃhitā context to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga passage; it stresses gṛhastha-dharma: vows/rites are hollow if pañca-yajñas (daily obligations) are abandoned, equating neglect with surāpāna.

Significance: Positions daily duty as ‘sthiti’—sustaining cosmic/social order; neglect undermines merit and steadiness required for Śiva-upāsanā.

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

FAQs

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

It teaches that outward vows and grand rituals are spiritually undermined if one neglects the foundational daily duties (pañca-yajñas). In a Shaiva Siddhanta lens, purity of conduct and steady daily obligation support devotion to Pati (Shiva) and weaken pasha (bondage).

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

Linga worship and Saguna Shiva devotion are meant to be supported by daily discipline and gratitude-based offerings. Neglecting pañca-yajñas while performing special worship is portrayed as a serious ethical contradiction that obstructs the fruit of Shiva-bhakti.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Maintain daily household worship and offerings (pañca-yajñas) alongside any vrata/niyama. As a practical Shaiva takeaway, keep regular Shiva-puja with mantra-japa (e.g., Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and disciplined daily conduct rather than only occasional intensive rites.