Shloka 36

भस्म–रुद्राक्ष–शिवनाममाहात्म्य

The Greatness of Bhasma, Rudrākṣa, and the Name of Śiva

Devanagari script

कृत्वाप्यनेकपापानि शिवनामजपादरः । सर्वपापविनिर्मुक्तो भवत्येव न संशयः

Transliteration

kṛtvāpyanekapāpāni śivanāmajapādaraḥ | sarvapāpavinirmukto bhavatyeva na saṃśayaḥ

Translation

Even if one has committed many sins, a person who becomes devoted to the japa of Śiva’s Name is certainly freed from all sins—of this there is no doubt.

Word by Word

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive/gerund), ‘having done’

• अपि: even/although
• अपि: सम्बन्ध (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), ‘even/although’

• अनेकपापानि: many sins
• अनेकपापानि: कर्म (Karma/Object of ‘कृत्वा’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनेक + पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (अनेकानि पापानि)

• शिवनामजपादरः: one devoted to chanting Śiva’s name
• शिवनामजपादरः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव + नाम + जप + आदर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी/सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष-भावः: ‘शिवस्य नाम्नः जपे आदरः’ (devotion/zeal in chanting Śiva’s name)

• सर्वपापविनिर्मुक्तः: freed from all sins
• सर्वपापविनिर्मुक्तः: कर्तृसम्बन्धी विशेषण (Attribute of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + पाप + विनिर्मुक्त (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (past participle) ‘विनिर्मुक्त’ from वि-नि-√मुच्; तत्पुरुषः (सर्वेषां पापानां विनिर्मुक्तः)

• भवति: becomes/is
• भवति: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• एव: certainly/indeed
• एव: सम्बन्ध (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• न: not
• न: सम्बन्ध (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation)

• संशयः: doubt
• संशयः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject of implied ‘अस्ति’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘न संशयः’ = नास्ति संशयः (elliptic)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Viśvanātha

Sthala Purana: In Kāśī, Śiva as Viśveśvara/Viśvanātha grants taraka-upadeśa and liberation; the Purāṇic Kāśī-māhātmya tradition repeatedly frames nāma-smaraṇa and śaraṇāgati as direct means to His grace.

Significance: Nāma-japa with bhāva is presented as a direct purifier of pāpa and a doorway to Śiva’s anugraha, culminating in saṃsāra-taraṇa.

Mantra Metadata

Type: panchakshara

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse teaches that sincere devotion to Shiva’s Name (nāma-japa) invokes Shiva’s grace, which purifies the practitioner and removes the burden of past wrongdoing, turning the mind toward liberation.

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

In the Vidyeshvara context, nāma-japa is a direct, accessible form of Saguna Shiva worship; it complements Linga-pūjā by anchoring the devotee’s attention in Shiva’s presence through sound and remembrance.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Regular Shiva-nāma japa—especially the Panchakshara “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—done with reverence (ādara), ideally alongside simple disciplines like purity of conduct and focused remembrance during daily worship.