Shloka 24

भस्म–रुद्राक्ष–शिवनाममाहात्म्य

The Greatness of Bhasma, Rudrākṣa, and the Name of Śiva

Devanagari script

पापमूलानि दुःखानि विविधान्यपि शौनक । शिवनामैकनश्यानि नान्यनश्यानि सर्वथा

Transliteration

pāpamūlāni duḥkhāni vividhānyapi śaunaka | śivanāmaikanaśyāni nānyanaśyāni sarvathā

Translation

ഹേ ശൗനകാ! പാപമൂലമായ നാനാവിധ ദുഃഖങ്ങൾ ശിവനാമം കൊണ്ടുമാത്രമേ നശിക്കൂ; മറ്റേതൊരു മാർഗ്ഗത്താലും അവ പൂർണ്ണമായി നശിക്കുകയില്ല।

Word by Word

• पाप-मूलानि: having sin as their root
• पाप-मूलानि: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक) + मूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष): पापस्य मूलानि = having sin as root

• दुःखानि: sufferings
• दुःखानि: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुःख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन

• विविधानि: various
• विविधानि: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विविध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifier of दुःखानि)

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle)

• शौनक: O Śaunaka
• शौनक: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Vocative address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शौनक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• शिव-नाम-एक-नश्यानि: destroyed by the single (power) of Śiva’s name
• शिव-नाम-एक-नश्यानि: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + नाम (प्रातिपदिक) + एक (प्रातिपदिक) + नश्य (प्रातिपदिक; from √नश्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; समास-समाहार: (शिवनाम्ना) एकेन नश्यानि = destroyed by the single (means) of Śiva's name; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (instrumental sense implied)

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• अन्य-नश्यानि: destroyed by other (means)
• अन्य-नश्यानि: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक) + नश्य (प्रातिपदिक; from √नश्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; कर्मधारय: अन्यानि नश्यानि = destroyed by other (means)

• सर्वथा: in every way/at all
• सर्वथा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Mahadeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Viśvanātha

Sthala Purana: In Kāśī-centered theology, duḥkha rooted in pāpa is cut at the root by Śiva’s saving presence; the verse universalizes this as nāma alone being the decisive purifier, echoing Kāśī’s reputation as the ‘taraka’ field of liberation.

Significance: Encourages reliance on nāma as a universally accessible upāya; promises complete removal of pāpa-janita duḥkha when practiced with devotion.

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: pāpamūlāni duḥkhāni vividhāny api śaunaka | śivanāmaika-naśyāni nānya-naśyāni sarvathā

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Shaunaka

FAQs

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

It teaches that karmic suffering born of sin is most completely dissolved through Śiva-bhakti expressed as nāma-japa—invoking Śiva’s grace (anugraha), which loosens the bonds (pāśa) that keep the soul (paśu) in sorrow.

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

In the Shiva Purana, Saguna worship—especially Śiva-liṅga pūjā—naturally includes chanting Śiva’s names (such as the Pañcākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”). The verse emphasizes that the Name is a direct, accessible form of Śiva’s presence and saving power.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Regular Śiva-nāma japa—especially the Pañcākṣarī mantra (Om Namaḥ Śivāya)—done with steadiness and devotion; it may be supported by Rudrākṣa mālā and Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) as Shaiva disciplines.