Shloka 41

Devanagari script

उत्कोचकै रुचिक्रीतैस्तस्करैश्च प्रपीड्यते । यस्य राज्ञः प्रजा राष्ट्रे पच्यते नरकेषु सः

Transliteration

utkocakai rucikrītaistaskaraiśca prapīḍyate | yasya rājñaḥ prajā rāṣṭre pacyate narakeṣu saḥ

Translation

Vị vua nào mà trong nước mình, dân chúng bị áp bức bởi kẻ nhận hối lộ và bởi bọn trộm cướp được mua chuộc do thiên vị, thì chính vị vua ấy bị nung nấu trong các địa ngục, vì thần dân của ông chịu khổ trong vương quốc.

Word by Word

• उत्कोचकैः: by bribe-takers
• उत्कोचकैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्कोचक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), बहुवचन

• रुचि-क्रीतैः: bought over (by greed)
• रुचि-क्रीतैः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रुचि (प्रातिपदिक) + क्रीत (प्रातिपदिक; from क्री धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (bought by greed/liking)

• तस्करैः: by thieves
• तस्करैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तस्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय (conjunction)

• प्रपीड्यते: is oppressed
• प्रपीड्यते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + पीड् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोग (is oppressed/tormented)

• यस्य: whose
• यस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case), एकवचन; सम्बन्धवाचक सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• राज्ञः: of the king
• राज्ञः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case), एकवचन

• प्रजा: subjects, people
• प्रजा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन (collective)

• राष्ट्रे: in the kingdom
• राष्ट्रे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राष्ट्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case), एकवचन

• पच्यते: is tormented
• पच्यते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पच् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोग (is cooked/tormented)

• नरकेषु: in hells
• नरकेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case), बहुवचन

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Shiva Purana discourse to the sages, conveying the Uma-samhita teaching on righteous rule and karmic consequence)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Rudra

FAQs

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

It teaches that a ruler is karmically accountable for systemic suffering in his realm; permitting bribery and theft strengthens pasha (bondage) and leads to painful retribution, while dharmic protection of subjects supports purification and liberation.

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

Linga-worship is not merely ritual; it must be paired with Shiva-approved dharma. A king claiming devotion to Saguna Shiva while enabling oppression contradicts Shiva’s role as upholder of cosmic order, and such hypocrisy yields karmic downfall.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The implied practice is dharmic self-audit: daily japa of the Panchakshara ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya") with a vow of non-corruption and protection of others; no specific bhasma or rudraksha rite is stated in this verse.