Shloka 13

Devanagari script

तपःफलं कथं त्वं च हातुमिच्छसि तापस । चौर्य्याच्छलार्द्यमानाच्च विस्मयात्सत्य भञ्जनात्

Transliteration

tapaḥphalaṃ kathaṃ tvaṃ ca hātumicchasi tāpasa | cauryyācchalārdyamānācca vismayātsatya bhañjanāt

Translation

ഹേ താപസാ! നീ നിന്റെ തപസ്സിന്റെ ഫലം എങ്ങനെ ഉപേക്ഷിക്കാൻ ആഗ്രഹിക്കുന്നു? അത് മോഷണവും വഞ്ചനയും കൊണ്ട് പീഡിതമാകുന്നു; മോഹം മൂലം സത്യഭംഗവും സംഭവിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• तपःफलम्: fruit of austerity
• तपःफलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् + फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समासः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: तपसः फलम्); नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (कर्म), एकवचनम्

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; प्रश्नार्थक-क्रियाविशेषणम् (interrogative adverb)

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; समुच्चय/अनुबन्ध (and/also)

• हातुम्: to abandon
• हातुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/तुमर्थ)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हा (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), ‘to abandon/leave’

• इच्छसि: you desire
• इच्छसि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (Present), मध्यम-पुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• तापस: O ascetic
• तापस: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तापस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सम्बोधन-विभक्तिः (vocative), एकवचनम्

• चौर्यात्: from theft
• चौर्यात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चौर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, पञ्चमी-विभक्तिः (अपादान), एकवचनम्

• छल: from deceit
• छल: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: छल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, पञ्चमी-विभक्तिः (अपादान), एकवचनम्; (पाठे ‘छलात्’ अपेक्षितम्; सन्धौ ‘चौर्यात् + छलात्’ )

• अर्द्यमानात्: from being afflicted
• अर्द्यमानात्: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अर्द् (धातु)
• Form: शानच्-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमान-कृदन्त (present passive participle), पुंलिङ्गे/नपुंसके, पञ्चमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; ‘being afflicted/pressed’

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; समुच्चय-बोधकः

• विस्मयात्: from astonishment
• विस्मयात्: Hetu/Apadana (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विस्मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, पञ्चमी-विभक्तिः (अपादान/हेतु), एकवचनम्

• सत्य: of truth
• सत्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः (सम्बन्ध), एकवचनम्; ‘of truth’ (समासे अपेक्षितम्: सत्य-भञ्जनात्)

• भञ्जनात्: from breaking (it)
• भञ्जनात्: Hetu/Apadana (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भञ्जन (प्रातिपदिक; भञ्ज्-धातुजन्य)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, पञ्चमी-विभक्तिः (अपादान/हेतु), एकवचनम्; ‘from breaking’

Speaker

Lord Shiva (as the inner guide instructing an ascetic on preserving tapas through satya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse warns that tapas bears fruit only when guarded by satya (truth) and clear discernment; deceit, theft, and delusion corrode spiritual merit and obstruct the soul’s approach to Pati (Shiva).

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

Linga-worship is not merely external; Saguna Shiva is pleased when the devotee’s conduct is aligned with dharma—especially truthfulness—so that worship becomes a pure channel for Shiva’s grace rather than a display tainted by छल (deceit).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice daily self-audit (satya-vrata): recite the Panchakshara mantra "Om Namaḥ Śivāya" with a vow of truth, and avoid छल/caurya in thought, speech, and action—thereby preserving the power of tapas.