Shloka 41

Kāla-vañcana (Overcoming/Outwitting Time) and the Pañcabhūta Basis of the Body

Devanagari script

नव शब्दान्परित्यज्य तुंकारं तु समभ्यसेत् । ध्यायन्नेवं सदा योगी पुण्यैः पापैर्न लिप्यते

Transliteration

nava śabdānparityajya tuṃkāraṃ tu samabhyaset | dhyāyannevaṃ sadā yogī puṇyaiḥ pāpairna lipyate

Translation

ஒன்பது பிற ஒலிகளை விட்டு, ‘தும்’காரத்தை மட்டும் பயில வேண்டும். இவ்வாறு எப்போதும் தியானிக்கும் யோகி புண்ணியத்தாலும் பாவத்தாலும் மாசுபடான்।

Word by Word

• नव: nine
• नव: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नवन् (प्रातिपदिक/संख्या)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्याविशेषण (numeral adjective); (here qualifying शब्दान्)

• शब्दान्: sounds
• शब्दान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शब्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• परित्यज्य: having abandoned
• परित्यज्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण; prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-त्यज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive); पूर्वक्रिया

• तुंकारम्: the ‘tuṃ’ sound (nasalized syllable)
• तुंकारम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तुंकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• तु: then/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/अन्वय (particle)

• समभ्यसेत्: should practice
• समभ्यसेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-अभि-अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपदी

• ध्यायन्: meditating
• ध्यायन्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ध्यै (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (Present active participle/शतृ), परस्मैपदी; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (agreeing with योगी)

• एवम्: thus/in this way
• एवम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of manner)

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (temporal adverb)

• योगी: the yogi
• योगी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योगिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• पुण्यैः: by/through merits
• पुण्यैः: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• पापैः: by/through sins
• पापैः: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• लिप्यते: is tainted/affected
• लिप्यते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लिप् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); आत्मनेपदी/कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive sense: ‘is smeared/tainted’)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (conveying the Umāsaṃhitā’s yogic instruction as part of Shiva’s liberating teaching)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: tuṃ

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches nāda-based mantra contemplation that leads the yogin beyond karmic dualities; by steady inner absorption, one becomes unattached to both punya (merit) and papa (sin), moving toward Shiva-realization (Pati) beyond bondage (pāśa).

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

While Linga worship supports Saguna devotion through form and ritual, this verse emphasizes the inner, subtler practice of sound-contemplation that matures devotion into meditative absorption—leading from external worship toward the Nirguna depth of Shiva as pure consciousness.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A focused japa/mental repetition and meditation on the single syllabic sound “tuṃ,” withdrawing attention from other sounds and distractions, maintaining continuous dhyāna until the mind rests in stillness and non-attachment.