Shloka 31

पापभेदवर्णनम्

Classification of Sins / Taxonomy of Pāpa

Devanagari script

ये ताडयंति गां क्रूरा दमयंते मुहुर्मुहुः । दुर्बलान्ये न पुष्णंति सततं ये त्यजंति च

Transliteration

ye tāḍayaṃti gāṃ krūrā damayaṃte muhurmuhuḥ | durbalānye na puṣṇaṃti satataṃ ye tyajaṃti ca

Translation

Those cruel people who beat a cow, who repeatedly torment and subdue her again and again—those who do not nourish the weak and who constantly abandon them—such persons incur grave demerit and fall from the path of dharma.

Word by Word

• ye: those who
• ye: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Relative pronoun (यद्), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा) Plural (बहुवचन)

• tāḍayanti: beat
• tāḍayanti: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: tāḍ (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष) Plural (बहुवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• gām: a cow
• gām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: go (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया) Singular (एकवचन)

• krūrāḥ: cruel (people)
• krūrāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: krūra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा) Plural (बहुवचन)

• damayante: torment/subdue
• damayante: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dam (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष) Plural (बहुवचन), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद)

• muhuḥ: again and again
• muhuḥ: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: muhuḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण), indeclinable

• muhuḥ: repeatedly
• muhuḥ: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: muhuḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण), indeclinable (reduplicated for emphasis)

• durbalān: the weak (people)
• durbalān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: durbala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया) Plural (बहुवचन)

• ye: who
• ye: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Relative pronoun (यद्), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा) Plural (बहुवचन)

• na: do not
• na: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध-निपात), indeclinable

• puṣṇanti: nourish/support
• puṣṇanti: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: puṣ (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष) Plural (बहुवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• satatam: always
• satatam: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: satatam (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण), indeclinable

• ye: who
• ye: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Relative pronoun (यद्), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा) Plural (बहुवचन)

• tyajanti: abandon
• tyajanti: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: tyaj (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष) Plural (बहुवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक), indeclinable

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Ahiṃsā and protection of the vulnerable are treated as essential to Śiva’s path; cruelty thickens pāśa (bondage) and blocks anugraha.

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

FAQs

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

It teaches that cruelty and neglect of the helpless deepen karmic bondage (pāśa). In a Shaiva Siddhanta lens, compassion (dayā) and protection of the vulnerable purify the soul (paśu) and make it fit for Shiva’s grace (pati-anugraha).

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

Linga worship is not merely external ritual; it must be supported by dharma and ahiṃsā. Reverence to Saguna Shiva is contradicted by harming beings under one’s care—true devotion expresses itself as restraint, kindness, and protection.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice ahiṃsā as a vrata: before japa of “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” cultivate compassion through feeding/supporting the weak and refraining from cruelty; let this become the ethical foundation for mantra, bhasma (tripuṇḍra), and daily Shiva-pūjā.