Shloka 36

चाण्डालीसद्गतिवर्णनम् (Cāṇḍālī-sadgati-varṇanam) — “Account of the Cāṇḍālī’s Attainment of a Good Destiny”

Devanagari script

अकामतः कृतस्यास्य पुण्यस्यैव च तत्फलम् । भुनक्त्यद्यापि सा चैव महाबलप्रसादतः

Transliteration

akāmataḥ kṛtasyāsya puṇyasyaiva ca tatphalam | bhunaktyadyāpi sā caiva mahābalaprasādataḥ

Translation

अकामतः कृतस्यास्य पुण्यस्यैव च तत्फलम्। भुनक्त्यद्यापि सा चैव महाबलप्रसादतः॥

Word by Word

• akāmataḥ: without desire (for reward)
• akāmataḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: a-kāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Adverbial ablative (तसिल्/ablatival usage), ‘without desire/voluntarily not seeking reward’

• kṛtasya: of (what was) done
• kṛtasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular; Neuter/Masculine (agreeing with puṇyasya)

• asya: of this
• asya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular; सर्वनाम

• puṇyasya: of the merit
• puṇyasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puṇya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• eva: indeed/only
• eva: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), emphasis/only

• ca: and
• ca: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक)

• tat-phalam: that fruit/result
• tat-phalam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + phala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• bhunakti: enjoys/partakes
• bhunakti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhuj (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); Parasmaipada

• adya-api: even today/still
• adya-api: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: adya (अव्यय) + api (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb + particle; ‘even today/still’

• sā: she
• sā: Kartā (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• ca: and
• ca: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक)

• eva: indeed
• eva: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), emphasis

• mahā-bala-prasādataḥ: due to the grace of the mighty (Lord)
• mahā-bala-prasādataḥ: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + bala (प्रातिपदिक) + prasāda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular used adverbially; ‘from/through the grace of great strength (i.e., the mighty one)’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Concludes the exemplum: akāmya (desireless) merit still yields enduring fruit because it is sealed by Mahābala’s prasāda—underscoring grace as the ultimate guarantor.

Significance: Affirms that selfless observance (akāmataḥ) becomes especially efficacious; the continuing enjoyment ‘even today’ functions as testimony (pramāṇa) for listeners to adopt Śiva-vrata and bhakti.

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse highlights that desireless virtue (niṣkāma puṇya) becomes enduring when sealed by Śiva’s prasāda; in Shaiva Siddhanta, liberation-oriented progress is ultimately stabilized by the Lord’s grace rather than by ego-driven merit.

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

Kotirudra Saṃhitā emphasizes tangible worship and pilgrimage (often centered on Jyotirliṅgas). This verse frames the results of such acts as most potent when done without craving, with the fruits sustained through Śiva’s compassionate favor in His saguna, accessible form.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform Śiva-pūjā or Jyotirliṅga pilgrimage as niṣkāma seva—offer water, bilva leaves, and japa of “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” without bargaining for outcomes, mentally dedicating the act to Śiva and accepting results as prasāda.