Shloka 27

पापभेदवर्णनम्

Classification of Sins / Taxonomy of Pāpa

Devanagari script

मिथ्या प्रवदतो वाच आकर्णयति यश्शनैः । स्वामिमित्रगुरुद्रोही मायावी चपलश्शठः

Transliteration

mithyā pravadato vāca ākarṇayati yaśśanaiḥ | svāmimitragurudrohī māyāvī capalaśśaṭhaḥ

Translation

He who listens to the words of those who speak falsely and is, little by little, tainted by their influence becomes a betrayer of his lord, friends, and teacher (guru)—deceitful, delusive, fickle, and crooked by nature.

Word by Word

• मिथ्या: falsely
• मिथ्या: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: mithyā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable), क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• प्रवदतः: of (one) speaking
• प्रवदतः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra√vad (धातु) + pravadat (कृदन्त, शतृ)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (present active participle), षष्ठी/पञ्चमी?—अत्र षष्ठी एकवचनम् (genitive singular) पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; ‘of one who speaks’

• वाचः: words/speech
• वाचः: Karma (कर्म/द्वितीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāc (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया) बहुवचनम्; (vāc-शब्दः)

• आकर्णयति: he listens/hears
• आकर्णयति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā√karṇ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता/प्रथमा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ya (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• शनैः: slowly/quietly
• शनैः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: śanaiḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• स्वामि-मित्र-गुरु-द्रोही: betrayer of master, friend, and teacher
• स्वामि-मित्र-गुरु-द्रोही: Karta (कर्ता/प्रथमा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svāmin (प्रातिपदिक) + mitra (प्रातिपदिक) + guru (प्रातिपदिक) + drohin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (genitive tatpuruṣa): ‘स्वामिनः मित्रस्य गुरोः द्रोही’

• मायावी: deceitful/illusory
• मायावी: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: māyāvin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• चपलः: fickle/restless
• चपलः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: capala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• शठः: a rogue/cheat
• शठः: Karta (कर्ता/प्रथमा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It warns that habitual listening to falsehood subtly reshapes one’s character, strengthening pasha (bondage) such as deceit and betrayal, which obstruct devotion to Pati (Shiva) and inner purity needed for liberation.

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

Linga-worship emphasizes purity of conduct—truthfulness, loyalty, and reverence to guru. This verse teaches that corrupt speech and company undermine the devotee’s steadiness (niṣṭhā) in Saguna Shiva-bhakti.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice disciplined śravaṇa and japa: avoid hearing slander/falsehood, and steady the mind with Panchakshara japa (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) to counter fickleness and cultivate satya and guru-bhakti.