Shloka 33

Dehāśucitā-vicāraḥ

Inquiry into the Impurity of the Body

Devanagari script

सोऽतिक्रामति संसारं जीवन्मुक्तः प्रजायते । संसारं कदलीसारदृढग्राह्यवतिष्ठते

Transliteration

so'tikrāmati saṃsāraṃ jīvanmuktaḥ prajāyate | saṃsāraṃ kadalīsāradṛḍhagrāhyavatiṣṭhate

Translation

ಅವನು ಸಂಸಾರವನ್ನು ಅತಿಕ್ರಮಿಸಿ ದೇಹದಲ್ಲೇ ಜೀವನ್ಮುಕ್ತನಾಗುತ್ತಾನೆ. ಅವನಿಗೆ ಸಂಸಾರವು ಬಾಳೆಕಾಂಡದ ಸಾರದಂತೆ—ದೃಢವಾಗಿ ತೋಚಿದರೂ ಸಾರವಿಲ್ಲದ—ಹಿಡಿಯಬಹುದಾದಂತೆ ನಿಂತಿರುತ್ತದೆ.

Word by Word

सःhe

अतिक्रामतिcrosses over/transcends

संसारम्worldly existence

जीवन्living

मुक्तःliberated (while living)

प्रजायतेis born/comes to be

संसारम्worldly existence

कदलीof banana plant

सारpith/essence

दृढfirm

ग्राह्यgraspable as firm (though actually not)

अवतिष्ठतेstands/remains

Speaker

Lord Shiva (teaching Umā/Parvati in the Umāsaṃhitā’s philosophical discourse)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Characters & Entities

Shiva

Parvati

FAQs

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

It teaches jīvanmukti: by Shiva’s grace and true knowledge, one crosses bondage and sees saṃsāra as seemingly solid but essentially hollow—thus remaining unattached while living.

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

Saguna worship (Linga, mantra, pūjā) steadies the mind and purifies bonds; through Shiva-realization the devotee recognizes the world’s insubstantiality and abides in the truth of Pati beyond saṃsāra.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is steady Shiva-dhyāna with japa of the Panchākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), cultivating vairāgya so the world is seen as ‘banana-pith-like’—appearing firm yet not binding.