Shloka 20

Adhyaya 89: शौचाचारलक्षणम् — सदाचार, भैक्ष्यचर्या, प्रायश्चित्त, द्रव्यशुद्धि, आशौच-निर्णय

Devanagari script

जरामरणगर्भेभ्यो भीतस्य नरकादिषु एवं दाययते तस्मात् तद्भैक्ष्यमिति संस्मृतम्

Transliteration

jarāmaraṇagarbhebhyo bhītasya narakādiṣu evaṃ dāyayate tasmāt tadbhaikṣyamiti saṃsmṛtam

Translation

Por ello, a quien teme la vejez, la muerte y el volver una y otra vez al vientre—y también los infiernos y estados semejantes—debe dársele de este modo. Así se recuerda como “esa limosna sagrada (bhaikṣya)”, una ofrenda caritativa destinada a aflojar los lazos del alma.

Word by Word

• जरामरणगर्भेभ्यः: from old age, death, and (return to) the womb

• भीतस्य: of the frightened one

• नरकादिषु: in hells and other (painful states)

• एवम्: thus/in this manner

• दाययते: one should give/it is to be given (as charity)

• तस्मात्: therefore

• तत्: that

• भैक्ष्यम्: alms/holy begging-offering

• इति: thus

• संस्मृतम्: is remembered/declared in tradition

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

What is the importance of this verse in the context of Linga worship?

It frames charity (dāna/bhaikṣya) as a Shaiva dharmic support for the bound soul (paśu): by offering with Shiva in mind (Pati), one weakens karmic bonds (pāśa) that drive rebirth and suffering.

How does this verse describe the nature of Shiva (Shiva-tattva)?

Shiva is implied as Pati—the liberating Lord—while fear of birth, death, and hell marks the condition of paśu under pāśa; turning to dharmic giving becomes an act oriented toward Shiva’s grace and purification.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Dana as a purificatory practice: giving alms (bhaikṣya) to the worthy—especially in a Shaiva devotional frame—supports inner cleansing that complements Pashupata discipline aimed at loosening bondage.