Shloka 38

पापभेदवर्णनम्

Classification of Sins / Taxonomy of Pāpa

Devanagari script

अजाविको माहिषिकस्सामुद्रो वृषलीपतिः । शूद्रवत्क्षत्रवृत्तिश्च नारकी स्याद् द्विजाधमः

Transliteration

ajāviko māhiṣikassāmudro vṛṣalīpatiḥ | śūdravatkṣatravṛttiśca nārakī syād dvijādhamaḥ

Translation

A twice-born who lives by herding goats, by the trade of buffaloes, by sea-borne commerce, who becomes the husband of a śūdra woman, or who adopts the livelihood of a kṣatriya like a śūdra—such a degraded brāhmaṇa becomes fit for hell.

Word by Word

• अजाविकः: goat-and-sheep herder
• अजाविकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अजा + अविक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; कर्तृपद; समासः इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (अजा ‘goat’ + अविक ‘sheep’)

• माहिषिकः: buffalo-herder / one dealing in buffaloes
• माहिषिकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माहिषिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तृपद

• सामुद्रः: sea-trader / one connected with the sea
• सामुद्रः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सामुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तृपद

• वृषलीपतिः: husband of a śūdra woman
• वृषलीपतिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृषली + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तृपद; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (वृषली- ‘śūdra woman’ + पति ‘husband’)

• शूद्रवत्: like a śūdra
• शूद्रवत्: Sambandha/Avyaya (सम्बन्ध/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शूद्रवत् (अव्यय/तद्धित)
• Form: अव्यय; तुलनार्थक (adverb of comparison: ‘like a śūdra’)

• क्षत्रवृत्तिः: kṣatriya-like livelihood/occupation
• क्षत्रवृत्तिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षत्र + वृत्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तृपद; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (क्षत्रस्य वृत्तिः)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha/Avyaya (सम्बन्ध/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• नारकी: hell-bound / infernal
• नारकी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नारकिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (predicate adjective)

• स्यात्: would be / becomes
• स्यात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• द्विजाधमः: a lowest/degenerate twice-born
• द्विजाधमः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज + अधम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तृपद; कर्मधारय (अधमो द्विजः)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It stresses that spiritual progress in Shaiva tradition is supported by dharma: for the twice-born, abandoning prescribed ethical discipline and adopting censured conduct leads to karmic decline, obstructing devotion and liberation.

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

Linga-worship is not presented as a license to ignore conduct; the Purana repeatedly pairs devotion to Saguna Shiva with purity, restraint, and right livelihood, so worship becomes a true means of grace rather than mere external ritual.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The implied takeaway is to combine Shiva-bhakti with daily purification—japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) with reverence, and disciplined living—so practice is grounded in dharma.