Shloka 37

Gaṅgā-Avataraṇa and the Naming of Gaṅgādvāra (गङ्गावतरणम्—गङ्गाद्वारप्रसिद्धिः)

Devanagari script

अद्यप्रभृति दुर्मार्गे तत्र श्रद्धा भवेत्तु वः । मोक्षमार्गविहीने हि सदा श्रुतिबहिर्मुखे

Transliteration

adyaprabhṛti durmārge tatra śraddhā bhavettu vaḥ | mokṣamārgavihīne hi sadā śrutibahirmukhe

Translation

Mula sa araw na ito, huwag ninyong ipahinga ang inyong pananampalataya sa masamang landas na iyon—landas na walang daan tungo sa moksha at laging tumatalikod sa pahayag ng Veda.

Word by Word

• अद्य: today
• अद्य: Sambandha (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अद्य (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय

• प्रभृति: from (now) onward
• प्रभृति: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रभृति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; ‘from/since’

• दुर्मार्गे: in the bad path
• दुर्मार्गे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/सप्तमी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर् (उपसर्ग/प्रातिपदिक) + मार्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन; कर्मधारय: दुष्टः मार्गः (bad path)

• तत्र: there/in that
• तत्र: Sambandha (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb) ‘there/in that’

• श्रद्धा: faith
• श्रद्धा: Karta (कर्ता/प्रथमा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रद्धा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन

• भवेत्: may be/should be
• भवेत्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेष-निपात (adversative/emphatic particle)

• वः: your
• वः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी बहुवचन (enclitic); here षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध) ‘your’

• मोक्षमार्गविहीने: in (that which is) devoid of the path to liberation
• मोक्षमार्गविहीने: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/सप्तमी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मोक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + मार्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + विहीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष: मोक्षमार्गेण विहीनः (devoid of the path to liberation)

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात; कारण/निश्चयार्थ

• सदा: always
• सदा: Sambandha (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय

• श्रुतिबहिर्मुखे: in (that which is) turned away from the Veda/śruti
• श्रुतिबहिर्मुखे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/सप्तमी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रुति (प्रातिपदिक) + बहिर्मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: श्रुतेः बहिर्मुखः (turned outward/away from śruti)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It warns devotees to withdraw faith from adharmic, misleading paths and to align their life with the mokṣa-mārga—conduct and devotion rooted in Śruti—so the soul may move toward Shiva’s grace and liberation.

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

Linga-worship in the Shiva Purana is meant to be a Śruti-aligned, mokṣa-oriented practice; this verse cautions that devotion becomes fruitless if it turns away from scriptural dharma and the liberating intent behind Saguna Shiva worship.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The implied takeaway is to follow Śaiva dharma-based sādhana—regular Shiva-pūjā with mantra-japa (especially the Panchakshara, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and disciplined conduct—rather than pursuing practices that reject Śruti and do not lead to liberation.