Shloka 52

मेना-हिमालयसंवादः

Menā’s Counsel to Himālaya; Response to Slander of Śiva

Devanagari script

कर्मभूमौ याज्ञिकाश्च पौराणास्स्वर्गकाम्यया । कुर्वन्ति ते वृथा सर्वे विहाय हिमवत्पुरम्

Transliteration

karmabhūmau yājñikāśca paurāṇāssvargakāmyayā | kurvanti te vṛthā sarve vihāya himavatpuram

Translation

ಈ ಕರ್ಮಭೂಮಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಯಾಜ್ಞಿಕರೂ ಪುರಾಣಪಾಠಕರೂ ಸ್ವರ್ಗಕಾಮನೆಯಿಂದ ಪ್ರೇರಿತರಾಗಿ, ಹಿಮವತ್ಪುರವನ್ನು (ಶಿವ-ಪಾರ್ವತಿಯ ಪವಿತ್ರ ಧಾಮ) ತ್ಯಜಿಸಿದರೆ, ಅವರ ಎಲ್ಲಾ ಕರ್ಮಗಳು ವ್ಯರ್ಥವಾಗುತ್ತವೆ.

Word by Word

• कर्मभूमौ: in the land of action/ritual
• कर्मभूमौ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्म + भूमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (कर्मणः भूमिः)

• याज्ञिकाः: ritualists
• याज्ञिकाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: याज्ञिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• पौराणाः: Paurāṇikas (reciters/knowers of Purāṇas)
• पौराणाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पौराण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• स्वर्गकाम्यया: with desire for heaven
• स्वर्गकाम्यया: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्ग + काम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (स्वर्गस्य काम्या)

• कुर्वन्ति: do, perform
• कुर्वन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• वृथा: in vain
• वृथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वृथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: in vain)

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• विहाय: having left
• विहाय: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विहाय (कृदन्त; √हा धातु, उपसर्ग वि-)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive): having left/abandoning

• हिमवत्पुरम्: the city of Himavat
• हिमवत्पुरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिमवत् + पुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (हिमवतः पुरम्)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating the Shiva Purana account to the sages, conveying the teaching of the Pārvatīkhaṇḍa)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Doctrinal admonition: in karmabhūmi, even yajña and purāṇa-recitation aimed at svarga become ‘vṛthā’ if one neglects the supreme kṣetra of Himavat—symbolizing turning away from Śiva-śakti presence.

Significance: Reorients aspiration from svarga (finite fruit) to Śiva-kṣetra-sevā and darśana (gateway to liberation through anugraha).

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Parvati
• Shiva
• Himavat

FAQs

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

It teaches that actions done merely for svarga (heaven) remain spiritually limited; without turning toward Śiva-Śakti’s sacred presence (symbolized by Himavat’s abode), such pursuits do not mature into true liberation (mokṣa).

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

Himavatpuram points to the living field of Śiva-Śakti worship—where Saguna devotion (including Liṅga-upāsanā) is performed with surrender rather than bargain-like heaven-seeking; devotion reorients ritual from pleasure-results to Śiva’s grace.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Shift from result-driven rites to Śiva-bhakti: daily Liṅga-pūjā with Tripuṇḍra (bhasma), Rudrākṣa, and japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” dedicating the fruit to Śiva instead of svarga.