Shloka 40

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

Devanagari script

सवर्णायाश्च गमनं गुरुभार्य्यासमं स्मृतम् । महापापानि चोक्तानि शृणु त्वमुपपातकम्

Transliteration

savarṇāyāśca gamanaṃ gurubhāryyāsamaṃ smṛtam | mahāpāpāni coktāni śṛṇu tvamupapātakam

Translation

Union with a woman of one’s own social order is declared to be on par with approaching the wife of one’s teacher. The great sins have been stated; now listen as I explain the subsidiary sins (upapātakas).

Word by Word

• सवर्णायाः: of a woman of the same caste
• सवर्णायाः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सवर्णा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• गमनम्: going/approaching
• गमनम्: विषय (Topic/विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ल्युट्-प्रत्ययान्त

• गुरु-भार्या-समम्: equal to (approaching) the guru’s wife
• गुरु-भार्या-समम्: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक) + भार्या (प्रातिपदिक) + सम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘गुरोः भार्या’ (guru’s wife) + समम् (equal)

• स्मृतम्: is considered
• स्मृतम्: क्रिया (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘is considered/remembered’

• महा-पापानि: great sins
• महा-पापानि: कर्ता/विषय (Topic/विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (महानि पापानि)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• उक्तानि: have been stated
• उक्तानि: क्रिया (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘have been said’

• शृणु: listen
• शृणु: क्रिया (Command/आज्ञा)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तम-पुरुषार्थे; प्रथमा, एकवचन

• उपपातकम्: the minor sin (upapātaka)
• उपपातकम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपपातक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a site-legend; it is a transition verse: mahāpātakas concluded, upapātakas to follow—framing sin as a mechanism of bondage (pāśa).

Significance: Didactic: reinforces guru-bhakti and protection of the guru’s household as sacred; supports eligibility for Śiva-upāsanā by guarding against guru-droha.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It frames sexual misconduct and betrayal of sacred relationships as powerful forms of karmic bondage (pāśa), emphasizing that liberation in Shaiva teaching requires ethical purity alongside devotion.

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

Linga-worship is not merely ritual; it is meant to purify conduct and intention. By warning against grave transgressions, the text shows that approaching Saguna Shiva through the Linga should be accompanied by self-restraint and dharmic living.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is prayāścitta-oriented devotion: sincere repentance, japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), and observances such as vrata (especially Mahāśivarātri) to restore inner purity.