Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 26

पशुपाशपतिज्ञान-प्राप्तिः

Acquisition of Paśupati–Pāśa Knowledge

Devanagari script

पुण्यपापात्मकं कर्म सुखदुःखफलं तु यत् । अनादिमलभोगान्तमज्ञानात्मसमाश्रयम्

Transliteration

puṇyapāpātmakaṃ karma sukhaduḥkhaphalaṃ tu yat | anādimalabhogāntamajñānātmasamāśrayam

Translation

La acción que es de mérito y demérito, cuyo fruto es placer y dolor, que comienza en la impureza sin principio y concluye en el mero goce de la experiencia, y que se apoya en el sí mismo como ignorancia: tal es el karma que ata al alma.

Word by Word

• पुण्यपापात्मकम्: having the nature of merit and sin
• पुण्यपापात्मकम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्य + पाप + आत्मक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying)

• कर्म: action/karma
• कर्म: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

• सुखदुःखफलम्: having pleasure-and-pain as its result
• सुखदुःखफलम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुख + दुःख + फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha/Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थे (but/indeed)

• यत्: which/that
• यत्: Anvaya-link (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• अनादि-मल-भोग-अन्तम्: ending in the enjoyment of beginningless impurity
• अनादि-मल-भोग-अन्तम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनादि + मल + भोग + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• अज्ञान-आत्म-समाश्रयम्: resting on the self of ignorance / based on ignorance
• अज्ञान-आत्म-समाश्रयम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अज्ञान + आत्मन् + समाश्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shaiva philosophical teaching to the sages of Naimisharanya in the Vāyavīyasaṃhitā)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It defines binding karma as merit-and-sin driven action that yields pleasure and pain, rooted in ignorance and sustained by beginningless impurity (mala). In Shaiva Siddhanta terms, this describes pasha (bondage) that keeps the pashu (soul) revolving in bhoga rather than attaining Shiva-realization.

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

Linga worship and devotion to Saguna Shiva are presented as purifying disciplines that loosen karmic bonds by turning the mind away from bhoga-centered action toward Shiva-centered surrender. By Shiva’s grace, ignorance (ajñāna) that supports karmic identity is reduced, leading toward liberation.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is to counter ajñāna through Shiva-upāsanā: japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), meditation on the Linga, and purificatory Shaiva observances such as Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa—performed with the intent of freedom from pleasure-pain driven karma.