Shloka 47

बन्धमोक्षवर्णनम्

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

Devanagari script

सुस्त्रीधनादिविषयं प्राकृतं प्राहुरास्तिकाः । प्रथमं चरलिंगेषु रसलिंगं प्रकथ्यते

Transliteration

sustrīdhanādiviṣayaṃ prākṛtaṃ prāhurāstikāḥ | prathamaṃ caraliṃgeṣu rasaliṃgaṃ prakathyate

Translation

Os mestres teístas declaram que a esfera “prākṛta” (mundana, presa aos sentidos) diz respeito a temas como mulheres e riqueza. Entre os liṅgas móveis (cara-liṅga), descreve-se primeiro o “rasa-liṅga”, o liṅga associado ao deleite do sabor e do paladar.

Word by Word

• सुस्त्रीधनादिविषयम्: the topic concerning auspicious women’s wealth etc.
• सुस्त्रीधनादिविषयम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु- (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + स्त्रीधन (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक) + विषय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; समासः—(स्त्रीधन + आदि) इति तत्पुरुष/द्वन्द्वसदृश-समाहारः, ततः ‘(स्त्रीधनादि)-विषय’ इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः; ‘सु’ उपसर्गः/उपपद-निपातः (good/auspicious)

• प्राकृतम्: common/ordinary
• प्राकृतम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राकृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• प्राहुः: they have said
• प्राहुः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-आह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• आस्तिकाः: the orthodox/believers
• आस्तिकाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आस्तिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन

• प्रथमम्: first/firstly
• प्रथमम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रथम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्रमवाचक विशेषणम् (as adverbial accusative: firstly)

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

• चर-लिंगेषु: among movable liṅgas
• चर-लिंगेषु: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चर (प्रातिपदिक) + लिंग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः—‘चरं लिंगम्’ (movable linga)

• रसलिंगम्: the rasa-liṅga
• रसलिंगम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रस (प्रातिपदिक) + लिंग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—‘रसस्य लिंगम्’

• प्रकथ्यते: is described/is taught
• प्रकथ्यते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-कथ् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्; कर्मणि प्रयोगः (passive sense)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Sadyojāta

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It identifies prākṛta (material) fixation—especially on wealth and sensual attraction—as a form of bondage (pāśa) that diverts the soul from Śiva-realization; the teaching implicitly urges vairāgya and purification for true liṅga-bhakti.

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

By classifying a ‘rasa-liṅga’ within movable liṅgas, the text distinguishes lower, desire-tinted approaches from purer modes of worship, guiding the devotee toward sattvic, Śiva-centered saguna worship that leads beyond prākṛta craving.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The implied practice is restraint and purification before liṅga-pūjā—approaching Śiva with detachment from sense-objects, and focusing the mind through mantra-japa (especially the Pañcākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) rather than through sensual ‘rasa’.