Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 18

त्रिपुरमोहनम्

Tripuramohana — “The Delusion/Enchanting of Tripura”

Devanagari script

अहिंसा परमो धर्मः पापमात्मप्रपीडनम् । अपराधीनता मुक्तिस्स्वर्गोऽभिलषिताशनम्

Transliteration

ahiṃsā paramo dharmaḥ pāpamātmaprapīḍanam | aparādhīnatā muktissvargo'bhilaṣitāśanam

Translation

അഹിംസയാണ് പരമധർമ്മം; ആത്മാവിനെ പീഡിപ്പിക്കുന്നത് പാപമെന്നു പറയുന്നു. അപരാധരഹിതത്വം തന്നെയാണ് മോക്ഷം; സ്വർഗ്ഗം എന്നത് ഇഷ്ടഭോഗങ്ങളും ആഹാരസുഖവും അനുഭവിക്കുന്നതാകുന്നു।

Word by Word

• अहिंसा: non-violence
• अहिंसा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अ + हिंसा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

• परमः: supreme
• परमः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• धर्मः: dharma
• धर्मः: Karta (कर्ता/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पापम्: sin
• पापम्: Karta (कर्ता/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन (predicate nominative)

• आत्मप्रपीडनम्: tormenting the self
• आत्मप्रपीडनम्: Karta (कर्ता/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् + प्र + पीड् (धातु) + अन (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (आत्मनः प्रपीडनम्)

• अपराधीनता: being an offender / culpability
• अपराधीनता: Karta (कर्ता/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपराधिन् (प्रातिपदिक) + ता (तद्धित)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; भाववाचक-तद्धित (abstract noun)

• मुक्तिः: liberation
• मुक्तिः: Karta (कर्ता/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

• स्वर्गः: heaven
• स्वर्गः: Karta (कर्ता/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अभिलषिताशनम्: desired food/enjoyment
• अभिलषिताशनम्: Karta (कर्ता/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभि + लष् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त) + आशन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (अभिलषितं आशनम्)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating Shiva Purana teachings to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Frames ahiṃsā as foundational yama supporting purity (śuddhi) and eligibility for Śiva-bhakti and mantra; reduces pāśa (bondage) created by karmic injury.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It ranks ahiṃsā as the highest dharma and frames spiritual progress in Shaiva terms: harming oneself through adharma is pāpa, while freedom from offence supports inner purity that leads toward mukti rather than merely heavenly reward.

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

Linga-worship in the Shiva Purana is not only ritual but also ethical discipline; ahiṃsā and blameless conduct are presented as the inner offering that makes external worship of Saguna Shiva fruitful and oriented toward liberation.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Adopt ahiṃsā as a daily vrata (ethical vow) alongside Shiva-upāsanā—regular japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and a sattvic lifestyle—so worship is aligned with non-harming and restraint.