Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 53

पशुपाशपतिज्ञान-प्राप्तिः

Acquisition of Paśupati–Pāśa Knowledge

Devanagari script

अद्भिराप्लवितं क्षेत्रं जनयत्यंकुरं यथा । आज्ञानात्प्लावितं कर्म देहं जनयते तथा

Transliteration

adbhirāplavitaṃ kṣetraṃ janayatyaṃkuraṃ yathā | ājñānātplāvitaṃ karma dehaṃ janayate tathā

Translation

Seperti ladang yang ditenggelami air lalu menumbuhkan tunas, demikianlah karma yang dibanjiri kejahilan (avidyā) melahirkan penjelmaan tubuh (kelahiran baharu).

Word by Word

• adbhiḥ: with waters
• adbhiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ap (अप् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• āplavitam: flooded / inundated
• āplavitam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ā + plu (प्लु धातु) + kta (क्त) → āplavita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Singular; past passive participle (क्त)

• kṣetram: field
• kṣetram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣetra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Singular (एकवचन)

• janayati: produces / generates
• janayati: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jan (जन् धातु, causative णिच्) → janay (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra (लट्, present), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); causative (णिच्)

• aṅkuram: sprout
• aṅkuram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṅkura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• yathā: just as
• yathā: Upamāna-marker (उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; comparative particle/adverb (उपमा)

• ājñānāt: from ignorance / due to ignorance
• ājñānāt: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: a- + jñāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• plāvitam: flooded / overwhelmed
• plāvitam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: plu (प्लु धातु) + kta (क्त) → plāvita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Singular; past passive participle (क्त)

• karma: karma / action
• karma: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karman (कर्मन् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Singular (एकवचन)

• deham: body
• deham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• janayate: produces / gives rise to
• janayate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jan (जन् धातु, causative णिच्) → janay (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra (लट्, present), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); causative (णिच्)

• tathā: so / likewise
• tathā: Prakāra (प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb (क्रियाविशेषण) of manner/correlative

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse states that ignorance (ajñāna) is the condition that makes karma fructify into rebirth; when the soul is covered by ignorance, karmic seeds mature into a new body, whereas knowledge and Shiva’s grace dry up the causes of bondage.

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

Linga-worship and devotion to Saguna Shiva are presented as practical means to purify the mind and dissolve ignorance; as ajñāna recedes through Shiva-bhakti, karma loses the power to generate further embodiment.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A key takeaway is to counter ajñāna with Shiva-upāsanā—steady japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and contemplative discrimination—so that karmic bondage does not “sprout” into renewed birth.