Shloka 39

पापभेदवर्णनम्

Classification of Sins / Taxonomy of Pāpa

Devanagari script

शिल्पिनः कारवो वैद्या हेमकारा नृपध्वजाः । भृतका कूटसंयुक्ताः सर्वे ते नारकाः स्मृताः

Transliteration

śilpinaḥ kāravo vaidyā hemakārā nṛpadhvajāḥ | bhṛtakā kūṭasaṃyuktāḥ sarve te nārakāḥ smṛtāḥ

Translation

Artisans, craftsmen, physicians, goldsmiths, and those who bear the king’s banner—when they are allied with deceit and fraud—are all remembered as bound for hellish states.

Word by Word

• शिल्पिनः: craftsmen, artisans
• शिल्पिनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिल्पिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन

• कारवः: workers, makers
• कारवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कारव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन

• वैद्याः: physicians
• वैद्याः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैद्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन

• हेम-काराः: goldsmiths
• हेम-काराः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हेम (प्रातिपदिक) + कार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष (maker of gold)

• नृप-ध्वजाः: royal standard-bearers
• नृप-ध्वजाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक) + ध्वज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (king’s standard-bearers/royal-banner men)

• भृतकाः: hired servants
• भृतकाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भृतक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन

• कूट-संयुक्ताः: associated with deceit
• कूट-संयुक्ताः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कूट (प्रातिपदिक) + संयुक्त (प्रातिपदिक; from सम्+युज् धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (connected with fraud/falsehood)

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• नारकाः: hell-bound ones
• नारकाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन

• स्मृताः: are considered/said
• स्मृताः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive sense: ‘are said/considered’)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

FAQs

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

It teaches that profession itself is not condemned; rather, deceit (kūṭa) becomes a form of pāśa (bondage) that ripens into painful karmic results, obstructing inner purity needed for Shiva-realization.

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

Linga worship emphasizes śuddhi (purity) and satya (truth). This verse warns that ritual devotion without ethical integrity remains incomplete, because fraud strengthens mala and karma that veil devotion to Saguna Shiva and the grace that leads beyond.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Adopt a truth-based livelihood as part of vrata: confess and renounce dishonest gain, then worship Shiva with a clean mind—reciting the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with repentance and resolve for ethical conduct.