Shloka 146

बन्धमोक्षवर्णनम्

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

Devanagari script

मायाचक्रप्रणेता हि शिवः परमकारणम् । शिवमायार्पितद्वंद्वं शिवस्तु परिमार्जति

Transliteration

māyācakrapraṇetā hi śivaḥ paramakāraṇam | śivamāyārpitadvaṃdvaṃ śivastu parimārjati

Translation

Indeed, Śiva is the maker of the wheel of Māyā and the Supreme Cause. Yet Śiva Himself wipes away the pairs of opposites imposed by His Māyā.

Word by Word

• māyā-cakra-praṇetā: the creator/ordainer of the wheel of māyā
• māyā-cakra-praṇetā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māyā (प्रातिपदिक) + cakra (प्रातिपदिक) + praṇetṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (मायाचक्रस्य प्रणेता), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle of emphasis/indeed)

• śivaḥ: Śiva
• śivaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• parama-kāraṇam: the supreme cause
• parama-kāraṇam: Pradhāna (प्रधान/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक) + kāraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (परमं कारणम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन; विधेय (predicate nominative)

• śiva-māyā-arpita-dvandvam: the duality imposed by Śiva’s māyā
• śiva-māyā-arpita-dvandvam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक) + māyā (प्रातिपदिक) + arpita (कृदन्त) + dvandva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (शिवमायया अर्पितं द्वन्द्वम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• śivaḥ: Śiva
• śivaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• tu: but
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (contrastive particle)

• parimārjati: cleanses/removes
• parimārjati: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: mṛj (धातु) with pari- (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Maya

FAQs

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

The verse teaches that although Śiva projects the cosmic order through Māyā, liberation is also granted by Śiva alone—by removing the soul’s experience of duality (dvandva) and restoring clear awareness of the Supreme.

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

Worship of the Liṅga (Saguna Śiva as an accessible form) is a means to transcend Māyā’s opposites; devotion and contemplation focused on Śiva lead the devotee beyond dvandva toward Śiva’s supreme reality.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is steady japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with Śiva-bhakti, cultivating equanimity toward pleasure and pain—seeing dualities as Māyā and seeking Śiva’s grace to remove them.