Shloka 4

बन्धमोक्षवर्णनम्

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

Devanagari script

प्रकृत्यग्रे ततो बुद्धिरहंकारो गुणात्मकः । पंचतन्मात्रमित्येते प्रकृत्याद्यष्टकं विदुः

Transliteration

prakṛtyagre tato buddhirahaṃkāro guṇātmakaḥ | paṃcatanmātramityete prakṛtyādyaṣṭakaṃ viduḥ

Translation

First is Prakṛti; then comes Buddhi; and then the guṇa-formed Ahaṃkāra. Together with the five Tanmātras—these are known as the eightfold set beginning with Prakṛti.

Word by Word

• प्रकृत्यग्रे: after/beside prakṛti (in sequence)
• प्रकृत्यग्रे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रकृति + अग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (प्रकृतेः अग्रे = before/after prakṛti, i.e., next to prakṛti in sequence)

• ततः: then/from that
• ततः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तस्मात्/ततः—क्रियाविशेषण (from there/then)

• बुद्धिः: intellect (buddhi)
• बुद्धिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• अहंकारः: ego-sense (ahaṃkāra)
• अहंकारः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहंकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• गुणात्मकः: consisting of the guṇas
• गुणात्मकः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुण + आत्मक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (गुणैः आत्मा यस्य/गुणात्मकः = consisting of guṇas)

• पञ्चतन्मात्रम्: the five tanmātras
• पञ्चतन्मात्रम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्च + तन्मात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (पञ्च तन्मात्राणि) collective singular

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरणार्थक-अव्यय (quotative)

• एते: these
• एते: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; demonstrative pronoun

• प्रकृत्याद्यष्टकम्: the octad beginning with prakṛti
• प्रकृत्याद्यष्टकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रकृति + आदि + अष्टक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (प्रकृत्यादि अष्टकं = the octad beginning with prakṛti)

• विदुः: know; consider
• विदुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √विद् (विद्) (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It outlines the core constituents of material experience—Prakṛti, intellect, ego, and the five subtle elements—so the seeker can discern Pāśa (bondage) and turn toward Pati (Śiva) as the liberating reality.

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

By mapping the structure of the manifested world, the verse supports Linga-worship as a disciplined focus beyond guṇa-bound nature, helping the devotee shift from identification with Ahaṃkāra to devotion to Saguna Śiva who grants knowledge and release.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate during japa of “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” on witnessing Buddhi and Ahaṃkāra without clinging; offer the five sense-impulses (rooted in the Tanmātras) into Śiva through Linga-pūjā, optionally with Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) as a reminder of transcendence over guṇas.