Shloka 33

पापभेदवर्णनम्

Classification of Sins / Taxonomy of Pāpa

Devanagari script

ये भारक्षतरोगार्तान्गोवृषांश्च क्षुधातुरान् । न पालयंति यत्नेन गोघ्नास्ते नारकास्स्मृताः

Transliteration

ye bhārakṣatarogārtāngovṛṣāṃśca kṣudhāturān | na pālayaṃti yatnena goghnāste nārakāssmṛtāḥ

Translation

ഭാരക്ഷതം, രോഗം എന്നിവകൊണ്ട് പീഡിതരായും ക്ഷുധയാൽ വലയുന്നവരുമായ പശുക്കളെയും കാളകളെയും പരിശ്രമത്തോടെ സംരക്ഷിക്കാത്തവർ ‘ഗോഘ്നർ’ എന്നു സ്മരിക്കപ്പെടുന്നു; അവർ നരകഗാമികൾ ആകുന്നു.

Word by Word

• ye: those who
• ye: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक; सर्वनाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/कर्ता), बहुवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक (relative pronoun)

• bhāra-kṣata-roga-ārtān: afflicted by load, wounds, and disease
• bhāra-kṣata-roga-ārtān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhāra (प्रातिपदिक) + kṣata (प्रातिपदिक) + roga (प्रातिपदिक) + ārta (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/कर्म), बहुवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्व/समुच्चयार्थ समास (burdened, wounded, diseased, afflicted)

• go-vṛṣān: cows and bulls
• go-vṛṣān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: go (प्रातिपदिक) + vṛṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (cows and bulls)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• kṣudhā-turān: distressed by hunger
• kṣudhā-turān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṣudhā (प्रातिपदिक) + tura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (kṣudhāyāḥ turaḥ = distressed by hunger)

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय

• pālayanti: they protect/care for
• pālayanti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pāl (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• yatnena: with effort
• yatnena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yatna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental/करण), एकवचन

• go-ghnāḥ: cow-killers
• go-ghnāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: go (प्रातिपदिक) + ghnā (कृदन्त; √han धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/कर्ता), बहुवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष (goṃ hanti iti)

• te: they/those
• te: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक; सर्वनाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; निर्देशार्थ (demonstrative)

• nārakāḥ: hell-bound / infernal (beings)
• nārakāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nāraka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• smṛtāḥ: are considered/declared
• smṛtāḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: smṛ (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive sense: are considered)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva Purana teachings to the sages at Naimisharanya, within the Uma Samhita discourse)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Establishes go-rakṣā as dharma; protecting suffering beings loosens pāśa and invites Śiva’s grace, while neglect is equated with ‘go-hatyā’ leading to naraka.

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches Shaiva dharma through compassion and responsibility: neglecting vulnerable beings (especially cows and bulls) is treated as serious adharma with karmic consequences, obstructing purity and progress toward Shiva’s grace and liberation.

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

Linga worship is not merely ritual; it must be supported by dharmic conduct. Serving and protecting life aligns the devotee with Saguna Shiva’s compassionate order (dharma), making devotion sincere rather than superficial.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The practical takeaway is go-seva (feeding, sheltering, and protecting cattle) as a dharmic observance alongside Shiva practices such as japa of the Panchakshara ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya") and maintaining ahimsa.