Shloka 30

Munipraśna-varṇana

Description of the Sages’ Inquiry

Devanagari script

स्वधर्मरहिता मूढाः संकराः क्रूरबुद्धयः । महाभिमानिनो नित्यं चतुर्वर्णविलोपकाः

Transliteration

svadharmarahitā mūḍhāḥ saṃkarāḥ krūrabuddhayaḥ | mahābhimānino nityaṃ caturvarṇavilopakāḥ

Translation

Devoid of their own svadharma, deluded, of mixed and confused conduct, and cruel-minded, they are ever swollen with great pride and become destroyers of the fourfold order of the varṇas.

Word by Word

• स्व-धर्म-रहिताः: devoid of their own duty
• स्व-धर्म-रहिताः: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + रहित (कृदन्त; √रह्/रह 'to be without')
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; 'स्वधर्मेण रहिताः'

• मूढाः: deluded
• मूढाः: कर्ता (Karta)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मूढ (कृदन्त; √मुह् 'to be deluded')
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• संकराः: mixed/degenerate people
• संकराः: कर्ता (Karta)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• क्रूर-बुद्धयः: those of cruel intellect
• क्रूर-बुद्धयः: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रूर (प्रातिपदिक) + बुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहिः: 'क्रूरा बुद्धिर्येषाम्'

• महाभिमानिनः: very arrogant
• महाभिमानिनः: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + अभिमानिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; 'महान् अभिमानः येषाम्/महाभिमानयुक्ताः'

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण अव्ययीभूतम् (adverbial accusative)

• चतुर्-वर्ण-विलोपकाः: destroyers of the four varṇas
• चतुर्-वर्ण-विलोपकाः: कर्ता (Karta)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + विलोपक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; 'चतुर्णां वर्णानां विलोपकाः'

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Viśvanātha

Sthala Purana: As the opening of the Viśveśvarasaṃhitā frames dharma’s decline, it implicitly sets the need for Viśveśvara’s restoring grace at Kāśī, where Śiva is praised as the Lord of the universe who re-establishes right order and grants liberation even amid Kali-like disorder.

Significance: Darśana and worship of Viśveśvara is held to restore dharma, purify pride/ego, and orient the bound soul (paśu) toward Śiva’s anugraha.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Kali-yuga style dharma-kṣaya (ethical and social dissolution)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It warns that moha (delusion) and ahankara (ego) make a person abandon svadharma, turning life into disorder; Shaiva Siddhanta frames this as pasha (bondage) that blocks Shiva-anugraha (grace) and delays liberation.

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

Linga-worship is meant to purify conduct and dissolve ego; this verse highlights the opposite tendency—pride and cruelty—which undermines dharma and makes devotion fruitless unless accompanied by inner correction and humility before Shiva.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Adopt daily Shiva-oriented discipline: japa of the Panchakshara ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya") with humility, and maintain dharmic restraints (ahiṃsā, truthfulness, self-control); these directly counter cruelty, confusion, and pride.