Shloka 14

बन्धमोक्षवर्णनम्

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

Devanagari script

निःस्पृहस्य च पूर्णस्य तस्य पूजा कथं भवेत् । शिवोद्देशकृतं कर्म प्रसादजनकं भवेत्

Transliteration

niḥspṛhasya ca pūrṇasya tasya pūjā kathaṃ bhavet | śivoddeśakṛtaṃ karma prasādajanakaṃ bhavet

Translation

How could worship be performed for Him who is desireless and complete? Yet any act done with Śiva as its intention becomes a cause of His grace.

Word by Word

• निःस्पृहस्य: of the desireless one
• निःस्पृहस्य: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निःस्पृह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; विशेषण

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात

• पूर्णस्य: of the complete/fulfilled one
• पूर्णस्य: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; विशेषण

• तस्य: of him/that
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• पूजा: worship
• पूजा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• कथम्: how?
• कथम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• भवेत्: could/should be
• भवेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• शिव: of Śiva
• शिव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन (in compound)

• उद्देश: intention/aim, reference
• उद्देश: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उद्देश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी/षष्ठी-समासाङ्ग (in compound: 'with reference/aim')

• कृतम्: done, performed
• कृतम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; used adjectivally

• कर्म: act, ritual action
• कर्म: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• प्रसाद: grace
• प्रसाद: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रसाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-समासाङ्ग (in compound)

• जनकम्: producing, generating
• जनकम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जनक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; विशेषण (causing/producing)

• भवेत्: should be/become
• भवेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the teaching tradition of the Vidyeshvara/Viśveśvara discourse to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Viśvanātha

Sthala Purana: Kāśī’s Viśvanātha is revered as the Lord who, though complete and desireless, accepts offerings by bhakti and intention; acts dedicated to Him become vehicles of grace.

Significance: Teaches that pilgrimage and worship are efficacious not because Śiva ‘needs’ them, but because dedication (uddeśa) aligns the soul to receive anugraha.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that Shiva, being complete and free from desire, does not need offerings; worship is transformative for the devotee, and actions dedicated to Shiva become channels for His grace (prasāda) leading toward liberation.

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

Though Shiva is ultimately nirguṇa (beyond need), the devotee approaches Him through saguna supports like the Śiva-liṅga; the verse validates that even simple acts done with Shiva as the intended Lord become spiritually efficacious and grace-bestowing.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Offer any daily act as Śivārpaṇa (dedication to Shiva)—such as japa of the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” simple liṅga-abhisheka, or applying tripuṇḍra—emphasizing intention over display.