Shloka 38

तपसो महिमा

The Greatness and Typology of Tapas

Devanagari script

कर्मभूमिरियं विप्र फलभूमिरसौ स्मृता । इह यत्क्रियते कर्म स्वर्गे तदनुभुज्यते

Transliteration

karmabhūmiriyaṃ vipra phalabhūmirasau smṛtā | iha yatkriyate karma svarge tadanubhujyate

Translation

Wahai brāhmaṇa, dunia ini dikenang sebagai medan perbuatan (karma), dan alam sana (syurga) sebagai medan hasil. Apa jua karma yang dilakukan di sini, buahnya akan dialami dan dinikmati di syurga.

Word by Word

• कर्म-भूमिः: the land/field of action
• कर्म-भूमिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् + भूमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता/विषय), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (कर्मणः भूमिः)

• इयम्: this
• इयम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• विप्र: O Brahmin
• विप्र: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (vocative), एकवचन

• फल-भूमिः: the land/field of results
• फल-भूमिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल + भूमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (फलस्य भूमिः)

• असौ: that (one)
• असौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• स्मृता: is called/considered
• स्मृता: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृत (कृदन्त; स्मृ धातु)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP), कर्मणि प्रयोगः (is called/considered)

• इह: here
• इह: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (locative adverb)

• यत्: whatever
• यत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्धक (relative pronoun)

• क्रियते: is done
• क्रियते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगः (passive)

• कर्म: action, deed
• कर्म: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (यत्) इत्यस्य विशेष्य/अन्वयः

• स्वर्गे: in heaven
• स्वर्गे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तद्-सम्बन्धक (correlative)

• अनुभुज्यते: is experienced/enjoyed
• अनुभुज्यते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु + भुज् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगः (passive)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the teaching context of Umāsaṃhitā to the sages)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: General karmic doctrine: earthly realm as karmabhūmi and heavenly realm as phalabhūmi; not tied to a specific liṅga-site narrative.

Significance: Encourages transforming action into Śiva-arpita karma (offered action) rather than fruit-seeking; pilgrimage/vrata become means to purify karma and orient toward mokṣa beyond svarga.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It distinguishes the karmabhūmi (earth where effort and dharma are practiced) from the phalabhūmi (heaven where results are consumed), pointing seekers beyond temporary svarga toward Shiva-realization and liberation.

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

It implies that ritual and devotion performed here—such as Linga-pūjā, japa, and vrata—generate fruits; yet Shaiva teaching urges offering karma to Shiva so that worship matures from fruit-seeking (svarga) into liberation-seeking (moksha).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Do daily Shiva-upāsanā in the karmabhūmi: Panchākṣarī japa ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya"), Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) dhāraṇa, and Rudrākṣa dhāraṇa—performed with niṣkāma-bhāva (without craving for heaven).