Shloka 14

Arjuna–Gaṇa Saṃvāda: Bāṇādhikāra, Tāpasa-veṣa, and the Ethics of Tapas (अर्जुन-गणसंवादः)

Devanagari script

तपसा क्षीयते सत्यमेतदेव मया श्रुतम् । तस्माच्च तपसस्तेद्य भविष्यति फलं कुतः

Transliteration

tapasā kṣīyate satyametadeva mayā śrutam | tasmācca tapasastedya bhaviṣyati phalaṃ kutaḥ

Translation

“تپسیا سے آدمی گھٹتا (کمزور) ہوتا ہے—یہی میں نے سنا ہے۔ پس اے بزرگ! ایسی تپسیا سے پھل کہاں سے پیدا ہوگا؟”

Word by Word

• तपसा: by austerity
• तपसा: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (करण), एकवचनम्

• क्षीयते: is diminished
• क्षीयते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्षि (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (Present), प्रथम-पुरुषः, एकवचनम्; आत्मनेपदम्; कर्मणि-प्रयोगः (passive sense)

• सत्यम्: truth
• सत्यम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (कर्ता/कर्मणि-कर्ता), एकवचनम्

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम

• एव: indeed
• एव: Avadharana (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; अवधारण (emphatic particle)

• मया: by me
• मया: Kartr (कर्तृ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-विभक्तिः (करण/कर्तृ), एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम

• श्रुतम्: heard
• श्रुतम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; ‘heard’ (impersonal: ‘it has been heard by me’)

• तस्मात्: therefore / from that
• तस्मात्: Hetu/Apadana (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्गे, पञ्चमी-विभक्तिः (अपादान/हेतु), एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; समुच्चय/अनुबन्ध

• तपसः: of austerity
• तपसः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः (सम्बन्ध), एकवचनम्

• ते: your
• ते: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्तिः (सम्बन्ध), एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम

• इदानीम्: now
• इदानीम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इदानीम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; कालवाचक-क्रियाविशेषणम् (temporal adverb)

• भविष्यति: will be
• भविष्यति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकारः (Simple Future), प्रथम-पुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• फलम्: fruit/result
• फलम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• कुतः: from where? / how then?
• कुतः: Prashna (प्रश्न)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कुतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; प्रश्नार्थक-हेतुवाचक (interrogative: ‘from where?/how?’)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Shatarudra discourse; the verse reads as an objection/question within the dialogue)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It warns that austerity by itself can deplete the body and egoically exhaust the seeker; in Shaiva teaching, tapas becomes truly fruitful when aligned with Shiva-bhakti, right knowledge, and surrender to Pati (Shiva) rather than mere self-mortification.

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

It implies that external effort alone is not the final means; worship of Saguna Shiva—especially through Linga-upasana with mantra, offering, and devotion—channels discipline toward grace, making practice inwardly purifying rather than merely draining.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Prefer moderated tapas joined with Shiva-japa (Panchakshara: “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and Linga-puja; keep the body steady with sattvic restraint, and make austerity a support for remembrance rather than an end in itself.