Shloka 102

बन्धमोक्षवर्णनम्

Bondage and Liberation: The Prakṛti–Karma Wheel and Śiva as the Transcendent Cause

Devanagari script

गृहे कच्छपसर्पस्त्रीदुर्जनादर्शनेपि च । वृक्षनारीगवादीनां प्रसूतिविषयेपि च

Transliteration

gṛhe kacchapasarpastrīdurjanādarśanepi ca | vṛkṣanārīgavādīnāṃ prasūtiviṣayepi ca

Translation

Even within one’s home—upon seeing a tortoise, a snake, a woman, or a wicked person—and likewise in matters concerning the giving birth of trees, women, cows, and the like, one should understand the indicated omens and act with discerning care.

Word by Word

• गृहे: in the house
• गृहे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• कच्छप-सर्प-स्त्री-दुर्जन-आदर्शने: in (the event of) not seeing a tortoise, snake, woman, or wicked person
• कच्छप-सर्प-स्त्री-दुर्जन-आदर्शने: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कच्छप (प्रातिपदिक) + सर्प (प्रातिपदिक) + स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक) + दुर्जन (प्रातिपदिक) + अदर्शन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (कच्छपादीनाम् अदर्शनम्)

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: सम्बन्ध/निपात (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-बोधक (conjunction)

• वृक्ष-नारी-गव-आदीनाम्: of trees, women, cows, etc.
• वृक्ष-नारी-गव-आदीनाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + नारी (प्रातिपदिक) + गव (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; समासः—समाहार/तत्पुरुष-प्राय (…आदीनाम् = 'etc. of …')

• प्रसूति-विषये: in the matter of childbirth/delivery
• प्रसूति-विषये: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रसूति (प्रातिपदिक) + विषय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (प्रसूतेः विषयः)

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: सम्बन्ध/निपात (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-बोधक (conjunction)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shaiva dharma and omens to the sages of Naimisharanya in the Viśveśvarasaṃhitā context)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Viśvanātha

Sthala Purana: As part of the Viśveśvara (Kāśī) teaching-frame, the verse functions as dharma-upadeśa for householders: discernment of inauspicious nimittas is subordinated to seeking Śiva’s protection in Kāśī, where Viśvanātha is famed as the Lord who loosens bondage (pāśa) through right conduct and devotion.

Significance: Pilgrimage and worship at Kāśī-Viśvanātha is traditionally held to mitigate fear of inauspicious portents and strengthen śiva-bhakti and vairāgya, turning anxiety about omens into disciplined dharma and reliance on Pati (Śiva).

FAQs

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

It teaches the Shaiva householder to live with awareness and discernment, reading life’s signs without superstition, and aligning responses with dharma while keeping devotion to Shiva steady.

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

By emphasizing right conduct in daily life, it supports a stable devotional life: when the home and mind are kept orderly and discerning, Linga-worship (puja, japa, and vrata) becomes more sattvic and fruitful.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

When confronted by disturbing signs, a practical Shaiva response is to steady the mind with Panchakshara japa (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and perform simple purification (ācamanam, lamp/incense, or Tripuṇḍra/bhasma remembrance) rather than panic.