Shloka 24

पापभेदवर्णनम्

Classification of Sins / Taxonomy of Pāpa

Devanagari script

वंशेष्टका शिलाकाष्ठैः शृङ्गैश्शंकुभिरेव च । ये मार्गमनुरुंधंति परसीमां हरंति ये

Transliteration

vaṃśeṣṭakā śilākāṣṭhaiḥ śṛṅgaiśśaṃkubhireva ca | ye mārgamanuruṃdhaṃti parasīmāṃ haraṃti ye

Translation

Those who block the road with bamboo stakes, stones, and pieces of wood, and also with horns and pegs, overstep rightful bounds and unlawfully seize what belongs to others.

Word by Word

• वंशेष्टकाः: bamboo-bricks / bricks made of bamboo
• वंशेष्टकाः: Karana (करण/Instrument; implied with following instrumentals)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaṃśa + iṣṭakā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (determinative): वंशस्य/वंशेन कृताः इष्टकाः, स्त्रीलिङ्ग-प्रातिपदिक 'इष्टका' (here plural), प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• शिलाकाष्ठैः: with stones and wood
• शिलाकाष्ठैः: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śilā + kāṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (copulative): शिला च काष्ठं च; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• शृङ्गैः: with horns
• शृङ्गैः: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śṛṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), बहुवचन

• शंकुभिः: with stakes / pegs
• शंकुभिः: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaṅku (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), बहुवचन

• एव: indeed, just
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अवधारण-निपात (emphatic particle)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-निपात (conjunction)

• ये: who (those who)
• ये: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• मार्गम्: road, path
• मार्गम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mārga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case/Accusative), एकवचन

• अनुरुन्धन्ति: block, obstruct
• अनुरुन्धन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: anu + rudh (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• परसीमाम्: the boundary of another (property)
• परसीमाम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: para + sīmā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (descriptive): परा सिमा; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन

• हरन्ति: take away, steal
• हरन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: hṛ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• ये: who
• ये: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (पुनरुक्ति for emphasis)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Uma Samhita discourse to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that harming society by blocking common pathways and violating others’ boundaries is adharma that strengthens pāśa (bondage) through negative karma, obstructing inner purity required for Shiva-realization.

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

Linga-worship is grounded in dharmic living—devotion without ethical restraint is incomplete. By condemning trespass and obstruction, the Purana aligns outer conduct with reverence to Saguna Shiva as the Lord of Dharma and inner order.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to pair Shiva-puja (Panchakshara japa and Tripundra) with vows of non-harm and non-stealing—especially avoiding actions that obstruct others’ movement or livelihood.