Shloka 59

नारदस्य विष्णूपदेशवर्णनम् — Nārada and Viṣṇu: Instruction after Delusion

Devanagari script

कृत्वाप्यनंतपापानि यदि भक्तिर्महेश्वरे । सर्वपापविनिर्मुक्तो भवत्येव न संशयः

Transliteration

kṛtvāpyanaṃtapāpāni yadi bhaktirmaheśvare | sarvapāpavinirmukto bhavatyeva na saṃśayaḥ

Translation

Même si l’on a commis d’innombrables péchés, s’il y a bhakti envers Maheśvara, on est assurément délivré de tous les péchés—sans aucun doute.

Word by Word

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive), from √कृ; ‘having done’

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), concessive/emphatic ‘even/also’

• अनन्त-पापानि: countless sins
• अनन्त-पापानि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनन्त (प्रातिपदिक) + पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः—‘अनन्तानि पापानि’

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बन्धबोधक अव्यय (conditional conjunction)

• भक्तिः: devotion
• भक्तिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• महेश्वरे: in Maheshvara (Śiva)
• महेश्वरे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; adhikaraṇa-locative ‘in/for Maheshvara’

• सर्व-पाप-विनिर्मुक्तः: freed from all sins
• सर्व-पाप-विनिर्मुक्तः: Karta (कर्ता) / Predicative (विशेष्य-विशेषणभाव)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + पाप (प्रातिपदिक) + विनिर्मुक्त (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘सर्वेभ्यः पापेभ्यः विनिर्मुक्तः’ (freed from all sins)

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

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• न: not/no
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation particle)

• संशयः: doubt
• संशयः: Karta (कर्ता) (elliptic: ‘there is no doubt’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga legend; it asserts the purificatory power of devotion: even vast pāpa is nullified by bhakti to Maheśvara, indicating grace overriding karmic bondage.

Significance: General: encourages repentance and turning to Śiva; promises pāpa-kṣaya through sincere devotion.

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that sincere devotion (bhakti) to Lord Śiva has the power to burn away the karmic burden of even immense wrongdoing, affirming Śiva as the compassionate Pati who grants purification and liberation.

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

The verse supports Saguna worship—turning the mind toward Maheśvara through tangible forms like the Śiva-liṅga—because heartfelt devotion expressed in worship becomes the means for inner cleansing and grace.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Cultivate Śiva-bhakti through japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and regular liṅga-pūjā with bhasma and bilva leaves, paired with repentance and a vow to live dharmically.