Shloka 3

यममार्गे सुखदायकधर्माः

Dharmas that Grant Ease on the Path to Yama

Devanagari script

अत्र ये शुभकर्म्माणः सौम्यचित्ता दयान्विताः । सुखेन ते नरा यांति यममार्गं भयावहम्

Transliteration

atra ye śubhakarmmāṇaḥ saumyacittā dayānvitāḥ | sukhena te narā yāṃti yamamārgaṃ bhayāvaham

Translation

यहाँ जो लोग शुभ कर्म करते हैं, जिनका चित्त सौम्य है और जो दया से युक्त हैं, वे भयावह यममार्ग पर भी सहजता से आगे बढ़ते हैं।

Word by Word

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, देशवाचक-क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb: here)

• ये: those who
• ये: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (relative pronoun)

• शुभकर्माणः: of good deeds
• शुभकर्माणः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण to ‘ye/narāḥ’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śubha + karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास ‘शुभं कर्म येषाम्/शुभकर्म’ (descriptive); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• सौम्यचित्ताः: gentle-minded
• सौम्यचित्ताः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: saumya + citta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास ‘सौम्यं चित्तं येषाम्’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• दयान्विताः: endowed with compassion
• दयान्विताः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dayā + anvita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कृदन्त (Kridanta), क्त (past participle) from √i (इ) with anu- (अन्वित = endowed/connected); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• सुखेन: with ease, happily
• सुखेन: Karaṇa (करण/adverbial instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (adverbial: ‘with ease’)

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (demonstrative pronoun)

• नराः: men, people
• नराः: Karta (कर्ता/apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• यान्ति: go
• यान्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √yā (या धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन

• यममार्गम्: the path of Yama
• यममार्गम्: Karma (कर्म/destination as object of motion)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yama + mārga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (Tatpurusha) ‘यमस्य मार्गः’; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• भयावहम्: bringing fear
• भयावहम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhaya + āvaha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास ‘भयं आवहति’ (upapada/agentive); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (agreeing with ‘yamamārgam’)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Yama

FAQs

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

The verse teaches that a life grounded in śubha-karma (virtuous conduct), gentleness, and compassion purifies the bound soul (paśu), reducing fear at death and making the post-death passage spiritually unobstructed.

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

In Shaiva practice, Linga-worship is not only ritual but character-transformation: devotion to Saguna Shiva is expected to manifest as dayā and sattvic conduct, which in turn removes inner pasha (bondage) such as fear and cruelty.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Cultivate a saumya-citta through daily japa of the Panchakshara ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya") and pair it with dayā in action—non-harm, charity, and service—so that devotion becomes embodied dharma.