Shloka 41

Śivakṣetra–Tīrtha–Māhātmya

The Salvific Function of Shiva’s Sacred Domains

Devanagari script

बीजांशश्चैव वृद्ध्यंशो भोगांशः पुण्यपापयोः । ज्ञाननाश्यो हि बीजांशो वृद्धिरुक्तप्रकारतः

Transliteration

bījāṃśaścaiva vṛddhyaṃśo bhogāṃśaḥ puṇyapāpayoḥ | jñānanāśyo hi bījāṃśo vṛddhiruktaprakārataḥ

Translation

With respect to merit and demerit, there is a “seed-portion,” a “growth-portion,” and a “portion of experience.” The seed-portion is destroyed by liberating knowledge (jñāna), while the growth-portion proceeds in the manner already described.

Word by Word

• बीजांशः: seed-portion; causal seed part
• बीजांशः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बीज + अंश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (बीजस्य अंशः)

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

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण (emphatic particle)

• वृद्ध्यंशः: growth-portion; augmenting part
• वृद्ध्यंशः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; coordinated)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृद्धि + अंश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (वृद्धेः अंशः)

• भोगांशः: enjoyment-portion; experiencing part
• भोगांशः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; coordinated)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भोग + अंश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (भोगस्य अंशः)

• पुण्यपापयोः: of merit and sin
• पुण्यपापयोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्य + पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (समाहार-द्वन्द्व), षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), द्विवचन; ‘of merit and sin’

• ज्ञाननाश्यः: destroyable by knowledge
• ज्ञाननाश्यः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier of bījāṃśaḥ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्ञान + नाश्य (नश् धातु; ण्यत्/यत्-प्रत्ययान्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (ज्ञानेन नाश्यः = destroyed by knowledge)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; emphasis)

• बीजांशः: the seed-portion
• बीजांशः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बीज + अंश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• वृद्धिः: growth; increase
• वृद्धिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• उक्तप्रकारतः: according to the stated manner
• उक्तप्रकारतः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Adverbial manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उक्त + प्रकार + तस् (अव्यय-प्रत्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb); तत्पुरुष-समासः (उक्तः प्रकारः) + तस्-प्रत्यय (in the manner of)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It distinguishes karma into latent ‘seed’, its ‘growth’, and its ‘experienced fruit’, teaching that Shaiva liberating knowledge burns the karmic seed so bondage cannot regenerate, even if some momentum of experience may still appear.

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

Linga-worship in the Vidyeshvara context is a disciplined approach to Saguna Shiva that matures devotion into right knowledge; that jñāna is said here to destroy the ‘seed’ of puṇya-pāpa, leading the soul toward Pati (Shiva) beyond bondage.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Steady japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with Linga-dhyāna and Shaiva contemplation is implied as the means to awaken jñāna that burns the bīja (latent karmic seed).