Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 67

भद्रस्य दिव्यरथारोहणं शङ्खनादश्च — Bhadra’s Divine Chariot-Ascent and the Conch-Blast

Devanagari script

कृत्वापि सुमहत्पापं भक्त्या यजति यश्शिवम् । मुच्यते पातकैः सर्वैर्नात्र कार्या विचारणा

Transliteration

kṛtvāpi sumahatpāpaṃ bhaktyā yajati yaśśivam | mucyate pātakaiḥ sarvairnātra kāryā vicāraṇā

Translation

Walaupun seseorang telah melakukan dosa yang sangat besar, bila ia memuja Śiva dengan bhakti, ia terbebas dari segala dosa; tentang ini tak perlu keraguan atau pertimbangan lagi.

Word by Word

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (कृ धातु) → kṛtvā (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), पूर्वकाल (having done)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अपि (even)

• सु-महत्-पापम्: a very great sin
• सु-महत्-पापम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: su (अव्यय/उपसर्गवत्) + mahat (प्रातिपदिक) + pāpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारयसमास (सु-महत् = very great) + पापम्; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• भक्त्या: by devotion
• भक्त्या: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन (instrumental singular)

• यजति: worships
• यजति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: yaj (यज् धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (relative pronoun)

• शिवम्: Śiva
• शिवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (accusative singular)

• मुच्यते: is freed
• मुच्यते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: muc (मुच् धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि/भावे (is released)

• पातकैः: from sins
• पातकैः: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pātaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन (instrumental plural)

• सर्वैः: all
• सर्वैः: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुं, तृतीया, बहुवचन; पातकैः इति विशेषणम्

• न: no/not
• न: Nishedha (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निषेध

• अत्र: here, in this matter
• अत्र: Deśa-adhikaraṇa (देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, देशवाचक (locative adverb: here/in this matter)

• कार्या: to be done/necessary
• कार्या: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kārya (प्रातिपदिक; कृ धातु → यत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृत्यप्रत्ययान्त (यत्), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विचारणा इति विशेषणम् (to be done)

• विचारणा: consideration, deliberation
• विचारणा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vicāraṇā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (nominative singular)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not tied to a single shrine; expresses the Siddhāntic doctrine that Śiva’s grace (anugraha) can burn pāpa and loosen pāśa when the paśu turns in bhakti toward Pati.

Significance: Assures pilgrims and householders that sincere Śiva-bhakti has expiatory power surpassing conventional prāyaścitta, provided it is genuine and not accompanied by nindā.

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It proclaims Śiva’s supreme grace: sincere bhakti to Pati (Lord Śiva) can dissolve even grave karmic stains, loosening pāśa (bondage) and turning the seeker toward liberation.

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

The verse emphasizes worship (yajana) done with devotion; in Shiva Purana practice this is commonly expressed through Saguna worship such as Śiva-liṅga pūjā, where heartfelt bhakti becomes the channel for Śiva’s purifying grace.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Devotional Śiva worship—especially liṅga-pūjā with japa of the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—as a practical means of inner purification and release from pāpa.