Shloka 9

पापभेदवर्णनम्

Classification of Sins / Taxonomy of Pāpa

Devanagari script

विषमारण्यपत्राणां सततं वृषवाहनम् । उच्चाटनाभिचारं च धान्यादानं भिषक्क्रिया

Transliteration

viṣamāraṇyapatrāṇāṃ satataṃ vṛṣavāhanam | uccāṭanābhicāraṃ ca dhānyādānaṃ bhiṣakkriyā

Translation

விஷமுள்ள காட்டு தாவர இலைகளைப் பயன்படுத்தியும், வृषவாஹனனாகிய சிவனை நோக்கி இடையறாது சடங்குகளைச் செலுத்தியும், மக்கள் உயர்சாடனம், அபிசாரம் போன்ற தீங்கான செயல்களில் ஈடுபடுகின்றனர்; மேலும் தானியத் தானம், வைத்தியச் செயல்கள் போன்ற உலகியலான முயற்சிகளிலும் சிக்குகின்றனர்.

Word by Word

• viṣama-araṇya-patrāṇām: of the leaves of the harsh forest (plants)
• viṣama-araṇya-patrāṇām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣama (प्रातिपदिक) + araṇya (प्रातिपदिक) + patra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (कर्मधारय/षष्ठी-सम्बन्धार्थे: ‘viṣamāṇi araṇyapatrāṇi’), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी बहुवचन (Neuter, Genitive Plural)

• satatam: constantly
• satatam: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: satata (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययवत्)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb), अव्यय

• vṛṣa-vāhanam: bull-vehicle (Nandin/one whose vehicle is a bull)
• vṛṣa-vāhanam: Karma (कर्म) / Padārtha (पदार्थ-सूची)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vṛṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + vāhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी: ‘vṛṣasya vāhanam’), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (Neuter, Nom/Acc Singular)

• uccāṭana-abhicāram: exorcism and sorcery (malevolent rites)
• uccāṭana-abhicāram: Karma (कर्म) / Padārtha (पदार्थ-सूची)
• Type: Noun
• Root: uccāṭana (प्रातिपदिक) + abhicāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (इतरेतर: ‘uccāṭanaṃ ca abhicāraś ca’), पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन (Accusative Singular; collective)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• dhānya-ādānam: taking/appropriating grain
• dhānya-ādānam: Karma (कर्म) / Padārtha (पदार्थ-सूची)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhānya (प्रातिपदिक) + ādāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी: ‘dhānyasya ādānam’), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (Neuter, Nom/Acc Singular)

• bhiṣak-kriyā: medical treatment, physician’s practice
• bhiṣak-kriyā: Karta (कर्ता) / Padārtha (पदार्थ-सूची)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhiṣak (प्रातिपदिक) + kriyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी: ‘bhiṣajaḥ kriyā’), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन (Feminine, Nominative Singular)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga episode; the verse critiques misdirected ritual power—using Śiva-oriented rites and toxic herbs for uccāṭana/abhicāra—thereby turning worship into bondage rather than a means to grace.

Significance: Ethical warning for pilgrims: ritual acts (even charity/medicine) become spiritually entangling when driven by harm, gain, or ego rather than Śiva-bhakti and dharma.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It cautions that when devotion to Śiva is mixed with selfish aims—especially harmful rites like uccāṭana and abhichāra—the soul (paśu) becomes further bound by pāśa (karmic bondage), instead of moving toward grace (anugraha) and liberation.

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

By naming Śiva as Vṛṣavāhana, the verse points to Saguna worship: the same sacred orientation can be used either for dharmic purification (through Linga-bhakti) or misdirected into coercive ritualism; Shaiva teaching favors worship for inner transformation, not control over others.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The implied takeaway is to avoid harmful ‘prayoga’ (applications) and instead stabilize worship through mantra-japa (especially the Panchākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), along with sattvic offerings and ethical restraint.