Shloka 40

शक्तितत्त्ववर्णनम् / Exposition of the Principle of Śakti

Devanagari script

तस्माद्विवर्धयेद्भक्तिं शिवे परमकारणे । त्यजेच्च विषयासंगं श्रेयो ऽर्थी मतिमान्नरः

Transliteration

tasmādvivardhayedbhaktiṃ śive paramakāraṇe | tyajecca viṣayāsaṃgaṃ śreyo 'rthī matimānnaraḥ

Translation

Therefore, the wise person who seeks the Highest Good should steadily increase devotion to Śiva—the Supreme Cause—and should renounce attachment to sense-objects.

Word by Word

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu/Apādāna-arthaka (हेतु/अपादानार्थक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), तस्मात्-इति तद्धित/प्रयोगः; अर्थे—"therefore/from that" (ablatival sense)

• विवर्धयेत्: should increase
• विवर्धयेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृध् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; causative sense in usage: "should increase"

• भक्तिम्: devotion
• भक्तिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine/स्त्री), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/द्वितीया), एकवचन (Singular/एकवचन)

• शिवे: in Śiva
• शिवे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine/पुं), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• परमकारणे: in the supreme cause
• परमकारणे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम-कारण (प्रातिपदिक; परम + कारण)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter/नपुं), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (परमं कारणम्)

• त्यजेत्: should abandon
• त्यजेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: त्यज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction/समुच्चय)

• विषयासङ्गम्: attachment to sense-objects
• विषयासङ्गम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विषय-असङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक; विषय + असङ्ग)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (विषयेषु असङ्गः/विषयाणाम् असङ्गः)

• श्रेयः: the highest good
• श्रेयः: Karma/Phala (कर्म/फल)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रेयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन

• अर्थी: desiring
• अर्थी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अर्थिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्—"desiring" (arthin)

• मतिमान्: wise
• मतिमान्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मतिमत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्—"intelligent"

• नरः: a man/person
• नरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Cultivating bhakti to Śiva as the Supreme Cause and practicing viṣayāsaṅga-tyāga are presented as direct supports for śreyas (mokṣa).

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that liberation-oriented life rests on two pillars: intensifying Shiva-bhakti (turning the heart toward Pati, the Supreme Cause) and loosening bondage by abandoning attachment to sense-objects (pāśa).

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

By urging devotion “in Shiva,” it supports Saguna upāsanā such as Linga worship as a practical focus for the mind; through such steady bhakti, the seeker is led toward the Supreme Cause beyond worldly fixation.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Cultivate daily Shiva-bhakti through japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namah Shivaya) and simple Linga-pūjā, paired with disciplined vairāgya—reducing indulgence and repeatedly returning the mind to Shiva in meditation.