Shloka 40
पापभेदवर्णनम्
Classification of Sins / Taxonomy of Pāpa
यश्चोचितमतिक्रम्य स्वेच्छयै वाहरेत्करम् । नरके पच्यते सोऽपि योपि दण्डरुचिर्नरः
yaścocitamatikramya svecchayai vāharetkaram | narake pacyate so'pi yopi daṇḍarucirnaraḥ
正しき分限を踏み越え、己の欲するままに租税を取り立てる者は、地獄にて煮えたぎる苦を受ける。また、刑罰を好み苛酷な罰で治める者も、同じくそこで責め苦を受ける。
Suta Goswami (narrating the Shiva Purana’s teaching on dharma and governance to the sages)
Tattva Level: pasha
Shiva Form: Mahādeva
FAQs
It teaches that adharmic power—taking wealth unlawfully or punishing out of cruelty—binds the soul (paśu) with pāśa (karmic fetters), leading to painful consequences until purified by dharma and devotion to Pati (Śiva).
Linga worship in the Shiva Purana is not only ritual but also moral alignment: honoring Saguna Shiva as the righteous Lord implies living by fairness and restraint; injustice contradicts Shiva’s dharmic order and obstructs grace.
Practice daily self-audit (dharma-smaraṇa) with japa of the Panchakshara—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—seeking forgiveness for harm done and cultivating non-cruelty and fairness in action.