Shloka 51

पापभेदवर्णनम्

Classification of Sins / Taxonomy of Pāpa

Devanagari script

तद्वा यद्वा परद्रव्यमपि सर्षपमात्रकम् । अपहृत्य नरा यांति नरकं नात्र संशयः

Transliteration

tadvā yadvā paradravyamapi sarṣapamātrakam | apahṛtya narā yāṃti narakaṃ nātra saṃśayaḥ

Translation

Whether it be this or that—whoever steals another’s property, even if it is only the measure of a mustard seed, such people go to hell; of this there is no doubt.

Word by Word

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म/Object; implied)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विकल्पार्थे (this/that)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Alternative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक अव्यय (or)

• यत्: whatever/which
• यत्: Karma (कर्म/Object; implied)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Alternative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक अव्यय (or)

• परद्रव्यम्: another’s property
• परद्रव्यम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर + द्रव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (परस्य द्रव्यम् = another’s property)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अपि-शब्द (even/also)

• सर्षपमात्रकम्: as small as a mustard seed
• सर्षपमात्रकम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier of परद्रव्यम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्षप + मात्रक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (सर्षपस्य मात्रकं = mustard-seed measure; very small amount)

• अपहृत्य: having stolen
• अपहृत्य: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल/Anterior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपहृत्य (कृदन्त; अप-√हृ (धातु) + त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund): having stolen

• नराः: men/people
• नराः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• यान्ति: go
• यान्ति: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √या (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• नरकम्: to hell
• नरकम्: Gati-karma (गतिकर्म/Goal as object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Negator)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध (negation)

• अत्र: here/in this case
• अत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Scope)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (here/in this matter)

• संशयः: doubt
• संशयः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; in ‘there is no doubt’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Shiva (teaching Umā/Devī on dharma and the binding power of pāśa)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati

FAQs

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

It teaches that even “small” wrongdoing is still pāpa, strengthening pāśa (bondage) and obstructing the soul’s (paśu’s) movement toward Shiva (Pati); liberation requires inner integrity, not merely outward ritual.

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

Linga-worship is meant to purify the heart; without dharmic conduct like non-stealing, devotion becomes superficial. Saguna Shiva’s grace is approached through both bhakti and ethical restraint.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice self-audit (pratyavekṣaṇa), confession and resolve (saṅkalpa) before Shiva, and steady japa of the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” to strengthen asteya and reduce karmic stains.