Shloka 7

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

Devanagari script

ये द्विषंति महादेवं संसारार्णवतारकम् । सुमहत्पातकं तेषां निरयार्णवगामिनाम्

Transliteration

ye dviṣaṃti mahādevaṃ saṃsārārṇavatārakam | sumahatpātakaṃ teṣāṃ nirayārṇavagāminām

Translation

Those who hate Mahādeva—who is the deliverer across the ocean of saṃsāra—incur a most dreadful sin; such people go to the ocean of hell (naraka).

Word by Word

• ये: those who
• ये: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• द्विषन्ति: hate
• द्विषन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: द्विष् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural)

• महादेवम्: Mahādeva (Śiva)
• महादेवम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महादेव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: महा + देव (कर्मधारय); पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• संसारार्णवतारकम्: the deliverer across the ocean of saṃsāra
• संसारार्णवतारकम्: Karma (कर्म/Object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संसार + अर्णव + तारक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: संसार-अर्णवस्य तारकः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष); पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (qualifier) महादेवम्

• सुमहत्-पातकम्: a very great sin
• सुमहत्-पातकम्: Karma (कर्म/Predicate-noun)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु + महत् + पातक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: सु + महत् (उपसर्ग/पूर्वपद) + पातक (कर्मधारय: ‘अत्यन्तं महत् पातकम्’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun); पुल्लिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन (Plural)

• निरयार्णव-गामिनाम्: of those who go to the ocean of hell
• निरयार्णव-गामिनाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निरय + अर्णव + गामिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: निरय-अर्णवं गच्छन्ति ये (उपपद-तत्पुरुष); ‘गामिन्’ (नकारान्त-प्रातिपदिक); पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन (Plural); तेषाम् इति सम्बन्धेन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Affirms Śiva as saṃsāra-tāraka (ferryman across bondage); cultivating devotion and non-hostility toward Śiva is portrayed as salvific, while dviṣa (hatred) blocks grace (anugraha) and deepens pāśa.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It frames Śiva as Pati—the liberating Lord who helps the bound soul (paśu) cross saṃsāra—and teaches that dveṣa (hatred) toward the liberator becomes a grave spiritual fault that drives one deeper into bondage and suffering.

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

By calling Śiva the ‘ferryman across saṃsāra,’ it supports Saguna worship—such as Liṅga-pūjā—as a concrete means to turn the mind from hostility and ego to reverence, surrender, and grace-oriented liberation.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Adopt daily Śiva-smaraṇa with the Pañcākṣarī mantra ‘Om Namaḥ Śivāya,’ and maintain a non-offensive devotional attitude (aparādha-śūnyatā); if practiced traditionally, support it with vibhūti (tripuṇḍra) and rudrākṣa as reminders of Śiva-bhakti.