Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 27

Karmas Leading to Hell and Heaven

Ethical Catalog of Destinies

Devanagari script

शुश्रूषाभिस्तपोभिश्च गुरूणां मानदा नराः । प्रतिग्रहनिवृत्ता ये ते नराः स्वर्गगामिनः

Transliteration

śuśrūṣābhistapobhiśca gurūṇāṃ mānadā narāḥ | pratigrahanivṛttā ye te narāḥ svargagāminaḥ

Translation

Те, кто чтит учителей внимательным служением и подвигами аскезы и кто воздерживается от принятия даров, — таким людям суждено идти на небеса.

Word by Word

• śuśrūṣābhiḥ: by acts of service/obedient attendance
• śuśrūṣābhiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śuśrūṣā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण) विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Feminine, Instrumental case, Plural)

• tapobhiḥ: by austerities
• tapobhiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण) विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Neuter, Instrumental, Plural)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक निपात (conjunction/particle)

• gurūṇām: of the teachers/gurus
• gurūṇām: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guru (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध) विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Masculine, Genitive, Plural)

• mānadāḥ: giving honor (to them)
• mānadāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: māna-dā (प्रातिपदिक; māna + dā)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (Masculine, Nominative, Plural; adjective)

• narāḥ: men/people
• narāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Plural)

• pratigraha-nivṛttāḥ: refraining from accepting gifts
• pratigraha-nivṛttāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pratigraha (प्रातिपदिक) + nivṛtta (कृदन्त; नि√वृत्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त) ‘nivṛtta’; विशेषण (Masculine, Nominative, Plural; past participle used adjectivally)

• ye: who
• ye: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक सर्वनाम (Masculine, Nominative, Plural; relative pronoun)

• te: those
• te: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन; निर्देशक सर्वनाम (Masculine, Nominative, Plural; demonstrative pronoun)

• narāḥ: men/people
• narāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Plural)

• svarga-gāminaḥ: going to heaven
• svarga-gāminaḥ: Karta (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: svarga (प्रातिपदिक) + gāmin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (Masculine, Nominative, Plural; adjective)

Speaker

Unspecified (narratorial voice within Padma Purāṇa; exact dialogue frame not provided in the input)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: śuśrūṣābhiḥ tapobhiḥ ca → śuśrūṣābhistapobhiśca; pratigraha-nivṛttāḥ (समास); te narāḥ svarga-gāminaḥ (समास).

FAQs

What is the main ethical teaching of this verse?

It teaches that reverent service to one’s guru (śuśrūṣā), disciplined austerity (tapas), and restraint from accepting gifts (pratigraha-nivṛtti) are marks of dharmic character and lead to auspicious posthumous results (svarga).

Why does the verse praise refraining from accepting gifts (pratigraha-nivṛtti)?

In dharma literature, indiscriminate acceptance of gifts can create obligation, compromise integrity, or encourage greed; restraint protects purity of conduct and supports a life of self-control and ethical independence.

How does this verse relate to the guru-disciple ideal in the Padma Purāṇa?

It highlights the classical ideal that disciples honor teachers not merely with words but with disciplined service and personal practice—showing that spiritual progress is tied to humility, self-restraint, and lived devotion to instruction.