Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 61

मन्त्रसिद्धिः, प्रतिबन्धनिरासः, श्रद्धा-नियमाः

Mantra Efficacy, Removal of Obstacles, and the Role of Faith/Discipline

Devanagari script

कृत्वाभिचारिकं कर्म सद्यो विनिपतेन्नरः । स्वराष्ट्रपालकं तस्माच्छिवभक्तं च कञ्चन

Transliteration

kṛtvābhicārikaṃ karma sadyo vinipatennaraḥ | svarāṣṭrapālakaṃ tasmācchivabhaktaṃ ca kañcana

Translation

അഭിചാരകർമ്മം ചെയ്താൽ മനുഷ്യൻ ഉടൻ തന്നെ പതനത്തിലാകും; അതിനാൽ സ്വന്തം രാജ്യത്തിന്റെ രക്ഷകനെയും ഏതൊരു ശിവഭക്തനെയും അഭിചാരത്തിലൂടെ ഹാനിക്കരുത്।

Word by Word

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (absolutive/gerund), from √कृ; ‘having done’

• अभिचारिकम्: sorcerous / pertaining to black magic
• अभिचारिकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभिचारिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कर्म-विशेषण (adjective of object)

• कर्म: act, rite
• कर्म: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• सद्यः: immediately
• सद्यः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सद्यस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb/क्रियाविशेषण)

• विनिपतेत्: would fall down / would perish
• विनिपतेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-नि-पत् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्/विधिलिङ् (optative/विधिलिङ्), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• स्वराष्ट्रपालकम्: the protector of his own kingdom (king)
• स्वराष्ट्रपालकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व-राष्ट्र-पालक (प्रातिपदिक; components: स्व + राष्ट्र + पालक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; ‘one who protects his own kingdom’

• तस्मात्: therefore, from that
• तस्मात्: Hetu/Apādāna (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; ablative ‘from that/therefore’

• शिवभक्तम्: a devotee of Śiva
• शिवभक्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव-भक्त (प्रातिपदिक; components: शिव + भक्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; ‘devotee of Śiva’

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

• कञ्चन: anyone (at all)
• कञ्चन: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कञ्चन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; ‘someone/any person’ (indefinite)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Bhairava

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga legend; it states karmic immediacy: hostile sorcery rebounds, causing the doer’s ruin, especially when aimed at the realm’s protector or Śiva’s devotee.

Significance: Warns pilgrims/sādhakas that harming Śiva-bhaktas is self-destructive; reinforces the ethic of protecting devotees and upholding rājadharma as part of sacred order.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Durgā

Role: destructive

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that hostile sorcery (abhichāra) is self-destructive karma, and that Śiva’s grace protects His devotees; harming them rebounds immediately on the doer.

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

In Saguna Śiva worship, the devotee is seen as under Śiva’s direct protection; reverence to the Liṅga includes non-violence and honoring Śiva-bhaktas as part of devotion.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The implied practice is restraint and purification: avoid abhichāra, cultivate bhakti through Shiva-nāma (e.g., Pañcākṣarī) and sattvic conduct rather than harmful rites.