Shloka 29

बन्धमोक्षवर्णनम्

Bondage and Liberation: The Prakṛti–Karma Wheel and Śiva as the Transcendent Cause

Devanagari script

तयोः पूजा तपः प्रोक्तं साक्षान्मोक्षप्रदे उभे । पौरुषप्रकृतिभूतानि लिंगानिसुबहूनि च

Transliteration

tayoḥ pūjā tapaḥ proktaṃ sākṣānmokṣaprade ubhe | pauruṣaprakṛtibhūtāni liṃgānisubahūni ca

Translation

ആ രണ്ടിലും പൂജയും തപസ്സും—ഇരണ്ടും സാക്ഷാൽ മോക്ഷം നൽകുന്നതായി പ്രസ്താവിക്കപ്പെട്ടിരിക്കുന്നു. പുരുഷതത്ത്വവും പ്രകൃതിതത്ത്വവും ആയി പ്രകടമായ അനേകം ലിംഗങ്ങളും ഉണ്ട്.

Word by Word

• tayoḥ: of those two
• tayoḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), द्विवचन

• pūjā: worship
• pūjā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pūjā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• tapaḥ: austerity
• tapaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• proktam: is declared/taught
• proktam: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra + vac (धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त) used predicatively; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; with implied 'asti'

• sākṣāt: directly, manifestly
• sākṣāt: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sākṣāt (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• mokṣa-prade: granting liberation
• mokṣa-prade: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mokṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + prada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास ('giver of liberation'); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; विशेषण (of pūjā and tapaḥ as two)

• ubhe: both
• ubhe: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ubha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; विशेषण (of pūjā and tapaḥ)

• pauruṣa-prakṛti-bhūtāni: consisting of puruṣa and prakṛti in nature
• pauruṣa-prakṛti-bhūtāni: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pauruṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + prakṛti (प्रातिपदिक) + bhūta (भू धातु + क्त)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुष-समास ('having the nature of puruṣa and prakṛti'); कृदन्त (भूत = become), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (of liṅgāni)

• liṅgāni: liṅgas
• liṅgāni: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: liṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• su-bahūni: very many
• su-bahūni: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su (अव्यय/उपसर्ग as intensifier) + bahu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास ('very many'); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (of liṅgāni)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (conjunction)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Affirms two complementary upāyas for the bound soul (paśu)—pūjā and tapaḥ—both capable of yielding mokṣa when oriented to Śiva; also hints at the manifold liṅgas as expressions of Consciousness (Puruṣa) and Power (Prakṛti).

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: liberating

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse affirms two complementary Shaiva means—puja (devotional worship) and tapas (inner discipline)—as direct pathways to moksha when oriented to Shiva, the Supreme Pati.

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

By stating that many Lingas exist in modes connected with Puruṣa and Prakṛti, it frames the Linga as Shiva’s accessible sign in manifestation—supporting Saguna worship while pointing to the transcendent Conscious principle.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It implies steady Linga-puja (abhisheka, mantra-japa such as Om Namaḥ Śivāya, and offerings) together with tapas—regular vows, purity, restraint, and contemplative focus on Shiva as the liberating Reality.