Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 10

कौशिकी-गौरी तथा शार्दूलरूप-निशाचरस्य पूर्वकर्मवर्णनम् | Kauśikī-Gaurī and Brahmā’s account of the tiger-formed niśācara

Devanagari script

अतः किं कृपया कृत्यमीदृशेषु दुरात्मसु । अनेन देव्याः किं कृत्यं प्रकृत्या कलुषात्मना

Transliteration

ataḥ kiṃ kṛpayā kṛtyamīdṛśeṣu durātmasu | anena devyāḥ kiṃ kṛtyaṃ prakṛtyā kaluṣātmanā

Translation

ดังนั้นจะเมตตาต่อผู้มีจิตชั่วเช่นนี้ไปเพื่ออะไร? และผู้ที่สันดานมัวหมองเช่นเขาจะมีประโยชน์อันใดแก่พระเทวี?

Word by Word

• अतः: therefore
• अतः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Logical connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थक-अव्यय (therefore)

• किम्: what?
• किम्: Karma (कर्म/what as object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; प्रश्नार्थक (interrogative)

• कृपया: by compassion
• कृपया: Karana (करण/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृपा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• कृत्यम्: duty, what should be done
• कृत्यम्: Karma (कर्म/thing to be done)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: कृत्य (gerundive used as noun), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘that which is to be done’

• ईदृशेषु: in such (cases/people)
• ईदृशेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location-context)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ईदृश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative/7th), बहुवचन; विशेषण to दुरात्मसु

• दुरात्मसु: among wicked persons
• दुरात्मसु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुरात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative/7th), बहुवचन

• अनेन: by this one/with him
• अनेन: Karana (करण/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• देव्याः: of the goddess
• देव्याः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• किम्: what?
• किम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; प्रश्नार्थक

• कृत्यम्: duty, what is to be done
• कृत्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: कृत्य (gerundive used as noun), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• प्रकृत्या: by nature
• प्रकृत्या: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रकृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• कलुष-आत्मना: with a tainted nature/soul
• कलुष-आत्मना: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कलुष (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन; विशेषण to अनेन

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Vāyavīya discourse to the sages, conveying a character’s critical remark within the story-context)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Durgā

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Devi (Goddess/Parvati)

FAQs

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

It highlights the tension between compassion and discernment: when a person remains committed to inner impurity (kaluṣa), mere sentiment cannot transform them; true change requires receptivity, repentance, and the descent of divine grace (anugraha) that purifies the bound soul (paśu) from its bonds (pāśa).

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

In Saguna worship—especially Linga worship—devotion is paired with inner cleansing. The verse implies that closeness to Devi or Shiva is not merely social or external; the devotee must become fit through purity, humility, and surrender, so that the Lord’s and Goddess’s grace can truly bear fruit.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is purification and self-correction: regular japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), sincere confession and restraint from harmful actions, and Shaiva purificatory observances such as Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) with devotion—done not as display, but to cleanse the mind and align conduct with dharma.