Shloka 154

बन्धमोक्षवर्णनम्

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

Devanagari script

न्यायार्जितसुवित्तेन वसेत्प्राज्ञः शिवस्थले । जीवहिंसादिरहितमतिक्लेशविवर्जितम्

Transliteration

nyāyārjitasuvittena vasetprājñaḥ śivasthale | jīvahiṃsādirahitamatikleśavivarjitam

Translation

A wise person should dwell in Śiva’s sacred abode supported by wealth earned through righteous means—living free from harm to living beings and other such sins, and avoiding excessive hardship.

Word by Word

• nyāya-arjita-su-vittena: with well-earned wealth (earned justly)
• nyāya-arjita-su-vittena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nyāya (प्रातिपदिक) + arjita (कृदन्त) + su (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + vitta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुपद तत्पुरुष: न्यायेन अर्जितं सुवित्तं येन; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; instrumental of means

• vaset: should live/dwell
• vaset: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vas (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; 'should dwell'

• prājñaḥ: a wise person
• prājñaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prājña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; subject

• śiva-sthale: in a place of Śiva (holy Śiva-site)
• śiva-sthale: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक) + sthala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष: शिवस्य स्थलम्; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; locative

• jīva-hiṃsā-ādi-rahitam: free from violence to living beings etc.
• jīva-hiṃsā-ādi-rahitam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jīva (प्रातिपदिक) + hiṃsā (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक) + rahita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष: जीवहिंसा-आदि-रहितम्; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचन; qualifying (life in Śiva-place) or implied 'sthana/vasati'

• ati-kleśa-vivarjitam: devoid of excessive suffering
• ati-kleśa-vivarjitam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ati (अव्यय/उपसर्ग) + kleśa (प्रातिपदिक) + vivarjita (कृदन्त from √vṛj/√varj)
• Form: तत्पुरुष: अतिक्लेशेन विवर्जितम्; क्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'devoid of excessive hardship'

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva’s dharmic guidelines to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that devotion in a Śiva-kṣetra must rest on dharma: one’s livelihood should be righteous (nyāya) and one’s life grounded in ahiṃsā, because purity of means and compassion stabilize worship and lead the soul (paśu) toward Shiva (Pati).

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

Linga-worship is not only ritual but a way of life; living near Śiva’s abode while earning ethically and avoiding harm becomes an offering to Saguna Śiva, making external pūjā align with inner conduct.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The verse implies preparatory discipline for Shiva worship—maintaining ahiṃsā and a balanced life that supports regular pūjā and japa (such as the Pañcākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) without extreme self-torture.