Shloka 5

Adhyaya 87 — Saṃsāra-viṣa-kathana: Ājñā-śakti, Māyā-bandha, and Mokṣa by Prasāda

Devanagari script

मायी च मायया बद्धः कर्मभिर् युज्यते तु सः ज्ञानं ध्यानं च बन्धश् च मोक्षो नास्त्यात्मनो द्विजाः

Transliteration

māyī ca māyayā baddhaḥ karmabhir yujyate tu saḥ jñānaṃ dhyānaṃ ca bandhaś ca mokṣo nāstyātmano dvijāḥ

Translation

“Jīva, tuy có năng lực của māyā, lại bị chính māyā trói buộc và bị kéo vào nghiệp (karma). Hỡi các bậc nhị sinh, đối với tự ngã ấy, ngay cả tri kiến và thiền định cũng có thể trở thành xiềng xích; giải thoát không khởi lên cho linh hồn chừng nào còn ở dưới quyền māyā, chưa nương tựa nơi Pati—Đức Śiva.”

Word by Word

• मायी (māyī): possessing/operating through māyā

• च (ca): and

• मायया (māyayā): by/through māyā

• बद्धः (baddhaḥ): bound

• कर्मभिः (karmabhiḥ): by actions/karmas

• युज्यते (yujyate): is yoked/engaged/connected

• तु (tu): indeed/but

• सः (saḥ): he/that (jīva)

• ज्ञानम् (jñānam): knowledge

• ध्यानम् (dhyānam): meditation

• च (ca): and

• बन्धः (bandhaḥ): bondage

• च (ca): and

• मोक्षः (mokṣaḥ): liberation

• न (na): not

• अस्ति (asti): is/exists

• आत्मनः (ātmanaḥ): for the self/of the self

• द्विजाः (dvijāḥ): O twice-born (brāhmaṇas)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

What is the importance of this verse in the context of Linga worship?

It frames the core Shaiva premise behind Linga worship: the jīva (paśu) remains bound by māyā and karma, and freedom comes not merely from techniques but from turning toward Pati—Śiva—whose grace and right orientation of practice dissolve bondage.

How does this verse describe the nature of Shiva (Shiva-tattva)?

By implication, Śiva is Pati—transcendent to māyā and karma—while the bound self is paśu under pāśa. Liberation is possible only by aligning knowledge and meditation with Śiva-tattva (the Lord beyond māyā), not by ego-driven attainment.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

It cautions that jñāna and dhyāna alone can become bondage when performed under māyā; in Pāśupata Yoga they must be joined to devotion, surrender, and Śiva-centered discipline (Śiva-smaraṇa and Linga-upāsanā) aimed at pāśa-kṣaya (removal of bonds).