Shloka 22

Munipraśna-varṇana

Description of the Sages’ Inquiry

Devanagari script

वैश्याः संस्कारहीनास्ते स्वधर्मत्यागशीलिनः । कुपथाः स्वार्जनरतास्तुलाकर्मकुवृत्तयः

Transliteration

vaiśyāḥ saṃskārahīnāste svadharmatyāgaśīlinaḥ | kupathāḥ svārjanaratāstulākarmakuvṛttayaḥ

Translation

Les Vaiśya (marchands) sont privés des sacrements purificateurs et portés à délaisser leur dharma prescrit. Ils suivent des voies corrompues, se complaisent dans l’accumulation égoïste et se livrent à des pratiques malhonnêtes dans la pesée et le négoce.

Word by Word

• वैश्याः: vaiśyas (merchants)
• वैश्याः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैश्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• संस्कार-हीनाः: devoid of proper rites/refinement
• संस्कार-हीनाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संस्कार (प्रातिपदिक) + हीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; ‘संस्कारैः हीन’ (devoid of sacraments/refinement)

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम (they/those)

• स्व-धर्म-त्याग-शीलिनः: prone to abandoning their own duty
• स्व-धर्म-त्याग-शीलिनः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + त्याग (प्रातिपदिक) + शीलिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; ‘स्वधर्मस्य त्यागे शील’ (habitually abandoning their own duty)

• कु-पथाः: of bad conduct
• कु-पथाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कु (उपसर्ग/प्रातिपदिक) + पथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; ‘कुपथ’ = दुष्टः पन्थाः (of bad path/conduct)

• स्व-अर्जन-रताः: intent on self-gain
• स्व-अर्जन-रताः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्जन (प्रातिपदिक) + रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; ‘स्वार्जने रत’ (engaged in self-gain/own earning)

• तुला-कर्म-कु-वृत्तयः: those with dishonest practices in weighing/trade
• तुला-कर्म-कु-वृत्तयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तुला (प्रातिपदिक) + कर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + कु (प्रातिपदिक) + वृत्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः: ‘तुलाकर्मणि कुवृत्तिः’ (dishonest practices in weighing/trade)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It warns that abandoning svadharma and saṃskāra (inner and outer discipline) leads to adharma-driven livelihood; Shaiva teaching emphasizes purification of conduct so the soul (paśu) can loosen bonds (pāśa) and turn toward Shiva (Pati).

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

Linga-worship is not merely ritual; it requires ethical purity and truthful living. Dishonest gain and wrong livelihood contradict the spirit of approaching Saguna Shiva with śuddhi (purity) and devotion.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Adopt daily purification and restraint—recite the Pañcākṣarī mantra (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with sincerity, and align livelihood with dharma; ritual acts like bhasma and rudrākṣa become spiritually fruitful when supported by honest conduct.