Shloka 115

बन्धमोक्षवर्णनम्

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

Devanagari script

कुंभस्य पश्चिमे भागे जपांते होममाचरेत् । कोटिं लक्षं सहस्रं वा शतमष्टोत्तरं बुधाः

Transliteration

kuṃbhasya paścime bhāge japāṃte homamācaret | koṭiṃ lakṣaṃ sahasraṃ vā śatamaṣṭottaraṃ budhāḥ

Translation

En el lado occidental del kumbha ritual, al concluir el japa debe realizarse el homa, ofreciendo oblaciones en el fuego sagrado. Los sabios prescriben el número como un koṭi, un lakṣa, mil, o ciento ocho, según la capacidad y la observancia de cada cual.

Word by Word

• कुम्भस्य: of the pot
• कुम्भस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुम्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• पश्चिमे: in the western
• पश्चिमे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पश्चिम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying ‘भागे’)

• भागे: in the part/side
• भागे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• जप-अन्ते: at the end of the recitation
• जप-अन्ते: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जप + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; ‘जपस्य अन्ते’ (at the end of japa)

• होमम्: fire-offering (homa)
• होमम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: होम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• आचरेत्: should perform
• आचरेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• कोटिम्: a crore (ten million)
• कोटिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोटि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; संख्यावाचक

• लक्षम्: a lakh (one hundred thousand)
• लक्षम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; संख्यावाचक

• सहस्रम्: a thousand
• सहस्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; संख्यावाचक

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, विकल्पार्थक (disjunctive particle ‘or’)

• शतम्: a hundred
• शतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; संख्यावाचक

• अष्टोत्तरम्: with eight added (i.e., 108)
• अष्टोत्तरम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्ट + उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘अष्ट-उत्तर’ = eight more (i.e., 108) qualifying ‘शतम्’

• बुधाः: the wise (say/hold)
• बुधाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Vidyeshvara Samhita teachings to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Rudra

Ritual Elements

Offering: dhupa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that mantra-japa should culminate in an act of offering (homa), turning inner repetition into outer surrender—an integrated Shaiva practice where devotion and disciplined action support purification and grace.

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

The kumbha and homa are supports for Saguna worship—ritual forms that help the devotee concentrate on Lord Shiva’s presence; japa internalizes the Lord, while homa seals the vow through offering and reverence.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform mantra-japa (commonly the Panchakshara, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and, upon completion, offer homa from the west side of the consecrated kumbha, using an appropriate count such as 108 or higher according to capacity.