Shloka 18

Devanagari script

ये गोब्राह्मणकन्यानां स्वामिमित्रतपस्विनाम् । विनाशयंति कार्य्याणि ते नरा नारकाः स्मृताः

Transliteration

ye gobrāhmaṇakanyānāṃ svāmimitratapasvinām | vināśayaṃti kāryyāṇi te narā nārakāḥ smṛtāḥ

Translation

Those men who ruin the rightful affairs and welfare of cows, brāhmaṇas, young maidens, one’s own master, one’s friends, and ascetics are declared to be hell-bound.

Word by Word

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

• गो-ब्राह्मण-कन्यानाम्: of the daughters of cows and Brahmins
• गो-ब्राह्मण-कन्यानाम्: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: go (प्रातिपदिक) + brāhmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + kanyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) compound (determinative); overall Feminine (kanyā), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन)

• स्वामि-मित्र-तपस्विनाम्: of masters, friends, and ascetics
• स्वामि-मित्र-तपस्विनाम्: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svāmin (प्रातिपदिक) + mitra (प्रातिपदिक) + tapasvin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Dvandva (द्वन्द्व) compound; Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन) (of masters, friends, and ascetics)

• विनाशयन्ति: destroy
• विनाशयन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi + naś (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra (लट्/present), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd person), Bahuvacana (plural), Parasmaipada, causative stem (णिच्) ‘cause to perish/destroy’

• कार्य्याणि: duties/works
• कार्य्याणि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kārya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• ते: those
• ते: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• नराः: men/persons
• नराः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• नारकाः: hell-bound/pertaining to hell
• नारकाः: Predicative (विशेषण/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nāraka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• स्मृताः: are said/considered
• स्मृताः: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: smṛ (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (कृत्: क्त), Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; passive sense ‘are considered’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Protecting the vulnerable and dharma-bearers (cow, brāhmaṇa, maiden, guru/master, friend, tapasvin) is presented as a baseline for spiritual progress; their harm leads to naraka and deepened pāśa.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Durgā

Role: protective

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: nāraka-phala (post-mortem retributive consequence)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that adharma—especially harming protected and spiritually vital beings like cows, Brahmins, maidens, and tapasvis—creates severe pāśa (bondage) through karma, obstructing the soul’s purification and leading to painful post-death states.

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

In Shaiva practice, Linga-worship is inseparable from dharma: devotion to Saguna Shiva must be supported by non-injury, protection of the righteous, and honoring gurus/masters; otherwise worship becomes hollow and does not yield Shiva’s grace.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is dharmic conduct as daily sādhanā: serve cows and Brahmins, protect the vulnerable, honor one’s guru/elder, and accompany mantra-japa (e.g., Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with vows of non-harm and truthful living.