Shloka 65

Devanagari script

क्षत्रियो बाहुवीर्येण कृषिगोरक्षणाद्विशः । न्यायार्जितस्य वित्तस्य दानात्सिद्धिं समश्नुते

Transliteration

kṣatriyo bāhuvīryeṇa kṛṣigorakṣaṇādviśaḥ | nyāyārjitasya vittasya dānātsiddhiṃ samaśnute

Translation

A Kshatriya attains siddhi through the strength of his arms—through righteous protection and governance. A Vaishya attains it through agriculture and the protection of cows. And by giving in charity wealth earned through justice and right means, one indeed reaches siddhi—success that upholds dharma and leads the soul toward Shiva’s grace.

Word by Word

• क्षत्रियः: a kṣatriya
• क्षत्रियः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षत्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; Nominative singular

• बाहु-वीर्येण: by strength of arm
• बाहु-वीर्येण: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाहु (प्रातिपदिक) + वीर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (बाहोः वीर्यम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; Instrumental singular

• कृषि-गो-रक्षणात्: from farming and cow-protection (i.e., by these duties)
• कृषि-गो-रक्षणात्: अपादान (Ablative source/cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृषि (प्रातिपदिक) + गो (प्रातिपदिक) + रक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (कृषिश्च गोरक्षणं च) + तसिल्-अर्थे पञ्चमी; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; Ablative singular (cause/source)

• विशः: a vaiśya
• विशः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; Nominative singular (vaiśya)

• न्याय-अर्जितस्य: of (wealth) earned lawfully
• न्याय-अर्जितस्य: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: न्याय (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्जित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (न्यायेन अर्जितम्); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; Genitive singular qualifying वित्तस्य

• वित्तस्य: of wealth
• वित्तस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वित्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; Genitive singular

• दानात्: from giving/through donation
• दानात्: अपादान (Cause/source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन; Ablative singular (cause)

• सिद्धिम्: success/accomplishment
• सिद्धिम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; Accusative singular

• समश्नुते: attains
• समश्नुते: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + अश् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; 'attains'

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Frames varṇāśrama-dharma as a preparatory purifier: righteous livelihood and dāna reduce pāśa (bondage) and make the paśu fit for Śiva’s anugraha.

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that siddhi is supported by dharma: each person should uphold righteous duty and purify earnings through just conduct and charity, which prepares the soul (paśu) to receive Shiva’s grace (Pati).

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

Linga-worship is strengthened by ethical living: offerings and devotion become spiritually potent when one’s livelihood is righteous and one practices dana, aligning outer worship with inner purity.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform dana (charity) from honestly earned wealth—especially on Shiva days—along with simple Shiva worship such as offering water to the Linga and mentally repeating the Panchakshara mantra, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya.”