Shloka 31

Garbha-sthiti, Deha-pariṇāma, and Vairāgya-upadeśa

Embryonic Condition, Bodily Transformation, and Instruction in Detachment

Devanagari script

संवृतः प्रविशेद्योनिं कर्मभिस्स्वैर्नियोजितः । तच्छुक्ररक्तमेकस्थमेकाहात्कलिलं भवेत्

Transliteration

saṃvṛtaḥ praviśedyoniṃ karmabhissvairniyojitaḥ | tacchukraraktamekasthamekāhātkalilaṃ bhavet

Translation

Impulsado por su propio karma, el ser encarnado—encerrado en sutiles envolturas—entra en el vientre. Allí, el semen y la sangre, reunidos en un solo lugar, se vuelven en un día una masa embrionaria gelatinosa (kalila).

Word by Word

• संवृतः: enclosed; covered
• संवृतः: Visheshana (विशेषण of implied subject)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + वृ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—क्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उपसर्गः—सम्

• प्रविशेत्: would enter
• प्रविशेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + विश् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; उपसर्गः—प्र

• योनिम्: womb
• योनिम्: Karma (कर्म/Object; destination)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• कर्मभिः: by karmas; by actions
• कर्मभिः: Karana/Hetu (करण/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• स्वैः: one's own
• स्वैः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; कर्मभिः इति विशेषणम्

• नियोजितः: impelled; directed
• नियोजितः: Visheshana (विशेषण of implied subject)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + युज् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—क्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उपसर्गः—नि

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Determiner)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; अत्र विशेषणरूपेण (as determiner)

• शुक्ररक्तम्: semen and blood
• शुक्ररक्तम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुक्र + रक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; द्वन्द्वः (शुक्रं च रक्तं च)

• एकस्थम्: in one place; together
• एकस्थम्: Visheshana (विशेषण of शुक्ररक्तम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एकस्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (एकस्मिन् स्थाने)

• एकाहात्: from one day
• एकाहात्: Apadana (अपादान/Source; time-from)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एकाह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (Ablative), एकवचन; द्विगुः (एकः अहः)

• कलिलम्: a clot; embryo in kalila stage
• कलिलम्: Karta (कर्ता/Result subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• भवेत्: would become
• भवेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

FAQs

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

It frames birth as karma-driven bondage (pāśa) for the jīva (paśu), implying that liberation comes through turning to Pati—Lord Shiva—who alone can sever karmic fetters and grant moksha.

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

By highlighting the inevitability of embodied rebirth through karma, it indirectly points to the refuge of Saguna Shiva worship—especially Linga-upāsanā—as a purifying discipline that redirects the mind from bodily origin toward Shiva as the transcendent ground of being.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is vairāgya and japa: contemplate the karmic nature of embodiment and steady the mind with Panchākṣarī mantra japa ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya"), supported by Shaiva disciplines like bhasma (tripuṇḍra) and rudrākṣa where prescribed.