Shloka 13

Dehāśucitā-vicāraḥ

Inquiry into the Impurity of the Body

Devanagari script

जिघ्रन्नपि स्वदुर्गंधं पश्यन्नपि स्वकं मलम् । न विरज्येत लोकोऽयं पीडयन्नपि नासिकाम्

Transliteration

jighrannapi svadurgaṃdhaṃ paśyannapi svakaṃ malam | na virajyeta loko'yaṃ pīḍayannapi nāsikām

Translation

自らの悪臭を嗅ぎ、自らの不浄を目にしながらも、それが鼻を苦しめるほどであっても、この世の人々は執着を捨てない。これが肉体に対する迷妄の縛縛たる力である。

Word by Word

• जिघ्रन्: smelling
• जिघ्रन्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: घ्रा (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कर्तरि कृदन्त (Present active participle/शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (लोकः)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle: even/also)

• स्व-दुर्गन्धम्: one’s own bad smell
• स्व-दुर्गन्धम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + दुर्गन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन; कर्मधारय: ‘one’s own foul smell’

• पश्यन्: seeing
• पश्यन्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कर्तरि कृदन्त (Present active participle/शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (लोकः)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle: even/also)

• स्वकम्: one’s own
• स्वकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (मलम्)

• मलम्: filth/impurity
• मलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation)

• विरज्येत: would become dispassionate/feel disgust
• विरज्येत: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + रञ्ज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• लोकः: the world/people
• लोकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; निर्देश-सर्वनाम (demonstrative)

• पीडयन्: tormenting/pressing
• पीडयन्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पीड् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कर्तरि कृदन्त (Present active participle/शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (लोकः)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle: even/also)

• नासिकाम्: the nose
• नासिकाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नासिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Shiva (as spiritual instructor in the Umāsaṃhitā discourse)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: teaching

FAQs

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

It highlights how strong pasha (bondage)—especially deha-abhimana (identification with the body)—is: even direct experience of the body’s impurity does not awaken vairagya. Shaiva Siddhanta reads this as a call to seek Pati (Shiva) for liberation rather than trusting sensory life.

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

Linga worship trains the mind to turn from the impure, changing body toward Shiva as the pure, steady refuge. Saguna Shiva devotion (puja, mantra, dhyana) redirects attachment into bhakti, which matures into inner detachment and clarity.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice daily Shiva-smarana with the Panchakshara mantra (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), along with inner and outer purification such as Tripundra (bhasma) and mindful self-observation to weaken body-identification and cultivate vairagya.