Shloka 4

Devanagari script

सनत्कुमार उवाच । एवं ते पृथिवीपालास्संप्राप्तास्तत्समीपतः । स्वकीयैः कर्म्मभिघौरैर्दुष्कर्म्मबलदर्पिणः

Transliteration

sanatkumāra uvāca | evaṃ te pṛthivīpālāssaṃprāptāstatsamīpataḥ | svakīyaiḥ karmmabhighaurairduṣkarmmabaladarpiṇaḥ

Translation

Sanatkumāra said: “Thus those rulers of the earth came near to him. Terrible through their own deeds, and puffed up by the strength born of wicked actions, they approached in arrogance.”

Word by Word

• sanat-kumāraḥ: Sanatkumāra
• sanat-kumāraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sanat (प्रातिपदिक) + kumāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (नाम), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (वच् धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• evam: thus
• evam: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (adverb: thus)

• te: they/those
• te: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• pṛthivī-pālāḥ: kings/rulers of the earth
• pṛthivī-pālāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pṛthivī (पृथिवी प्रातिपदिक) + pāla (पाल प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (पृथिव्याः पालाः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• saṃprāptāḥ: having arrived
• saṃprāptāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: saṃ + √prāp (प्राप् धातु) → saṃprāpta (सम्प्राप्त, कृदन्त क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP)

• tat: of him/that
• tat: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (Singular) (सम्बन्धे: 'of him/that')

• samīpataḥ: near (to)
• samīpataḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: samīpa (समीप प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb: 'from/near')

• svakīyaiḥ: with their own
• svakīyaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: svakīya (स्वकीय प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (सन्दर्भे कर्मभिः), तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन (Plural)

• karmabhiḥ: by deeds
• karmabhiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karman (कर्मन् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन (Plural)

• ghauraiḥ: terrible
• ghauraiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ghora (घोर प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (कर्मभिः सह), तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन (Plural)

• duṣkarma-bala-darpiṇaḥ: proud due to the strength of evil deeds
• duṣkarma-bala-darpiṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: duṣkarma (दुष्कर्म प्रातिपदिक) + bala (बल प्रातिपदिक) + darpin (दर्पिन् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुष-समास (दुष्कर्मबलस्य दर्पिणः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

Speaker

Sanatkumara

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Characters & Entities

• Sanatkumara
• pṛthivīpālāḥ (kings)

FAQs

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

The verse highlights how duṣkarma (wrong action) and the pride that follows it thicken pāśa (bondage). In a Shaiva Siddhanta lens, arrogance born of power keeps the pashu (individual soul) turned away from Pati (Shiva) and from dharma.

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

Approaching Shiva (often through the Linga as Saguna Shiva) is meant to be done with humility and purification. This verse contrasts that ideal by showing rulers approaching with karmic heaviness and pride—inner states that obstruct true darśana and grace.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is prāyaścitta and self-purification before worship—regular japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), applying tripuṇḍra (bhasma) with a contrite mind, and offering worship to the Linga to dissolve pride and karmic impurity.