Shloka 33

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

Devanagari script

पितृमातृपरित्यागः कूटसाक्ष्यं द्विजानृतम् । आमिषं शिवभक्तानामभक्ष्यस्य च भक्षणम्

Transliteration

pitṛmātṛparityāgaḥ kūṭasākṣyaṃ dvijānṛtam | āmiṣaṃ śivabhaktānāmabhakṣyasya ca bhakṣaṇam

Translation

Abandoning one’s father and mother, bearing false witness, a Brahmin’s lying, taking meat belonging to Śiva’s devotees, and eating what is forbidden—these are grave transgressions that obstruct the path of Śiva-bhakti and bind the soul in impurity.

Word by Word

• पितृमातृपरित्यागः: abandoning father and mother
• पितृमातृपरित्यागः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक) + मातृ (प्रातिपदिक) + परित्याग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st—प्रथमा), Singular; tatpuruṣa (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष) ‘abandonment of father and mother’

• कूटसाक्ष्यम्: false testimony
• कूटसाक्ष्यम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कूट (प्रातिपदिक) + साक्ष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st—प्रथमा), Singular; karmadhāraya ‘false testimony’

• द्विजानृतम्: lying to a brāhmaṇa/twice-born
• द्विजानृतम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + अनृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st—प्रथमा), Singular; tatpuruṣa ‘lie (told) to/against a twice-born’

• आमिषम्: meat/flesh
• आमिषम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आमिष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st—प्रथमा), Singular

• शिवभक्तानाम्: of Śiva’s devotees
• शिवभक्तानाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + भक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th—षष्ठी), Plural; tatpuruṣa ‘devotees of Śiva’

• अभक्ष्यस्य: of the inedible/forbidden
• अभक्ष्यस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभक्ष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Genitive (6th—षष्ठी), Singular; used substantively ‘of what is not to be eaten’

• च: and
• च: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• भक्षणम्: eating/consumption
• भक्षणम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st—प्रथमा), Singular

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva’s dharmic teaching as preserved in the Umāsaṃhitā)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Bhairava

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga account; a compact catalogue of mahāpātaka-like acts (parental abandonment, perjury, brahmin lying, violating devotees’ food, eating forbidden items) that thicken pāśa (bondage) and obstruct Śiva-bhakti.

Significance: Warns that offenses against devotees (śivabhakta-apacāra) and dharma (satya, pitṛ-mātṛ-sevā, āhāra-śuddhi) destroy the fruits of worship and pilgrimage unless repaired by repentance and restitution.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Durgā

Role: protective

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It lists actions that intensify pāśa (bondage) through impurity and wrongdoing—especially harming dharma and disrespecting devotees—thereby weakening Śiva-bhakti and delaying the soul’s movement toward Śiva’s grace (anugraha).

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

Linga-worship is not only ritual but also moral discipline: truthfulness, honoring parents, and not offending Śiva’s devotees are treated as prerequisites for worship to become fruitful and for devotion to mature from outer practice to inner surrender.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is śauca (purity) with daily Shiva-remembrance—japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), wearing Rudraksha and applying Tripundra with a truthful, non-harming life—so that worship is free from offenses.