Shiva Purana — Kotirudra Samhita, Shloka 19

चाण्डालीसद्गतिवर्णनम् (Cāṇḍālī-sadgati-varṇanam) — “Account of the Cāṇḍālī’s Attainment of a Good Destiny”

Devanagari script

साथ भ्रष्टा यमपुराच्चाण्डालीगर्भमाश्रिता । ततो बभूव जन्मान्धा प्रशांतांगारमेचका

Transliteration

sātha bhraṣṭā yamapurāccāṇḍālīgarbhamāśritā | tato babhūva janmāndhā praśāṃtāṃgāramecakā

Translation

随后，她从阎摩之城被遣离，投入一位旃陀罗女子的胎中；由此生来便先天失明，形体黝黑如煤烟与灰烬——其光辉尽皆熄灭。

Word by Word

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अथ: then
• अथ: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनन्तरार्थक-निपात (then/now)

• भ्रष्टा: having fallen / cast out
• भ्रष्टा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भ्रंश्/भ्रश् (धातु) → भ्रष्ट (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (Past participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘fallen/removed’

• यमपुरात्: from Yama’s city
• यमपुरात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यमपुर (प्रातिपदिक: यम + पुर)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (Ablative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘यमस्य पुरम्’

• चाण्डाली-गर्भम्: the womb of a Caṇḍālī
• चाण्डाली-गर्भम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चाण्डाली (प्रातिपदिक) + गर्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘चाण्डाल्याः गर्भः’ (womb)

• आश्रिता: having entered / having resorted to
• आश्रिता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-श्रि (धातु) → आश्रित (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (Past participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘having taken refuge/entered’

• ततः: thereupon
• ततः: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तस्मात्/अनन्तरम्-अर्थे (thereupon/then)

• बभूव: became
• बभूव: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• जन्म-अन्धा: blind from birth
• जन्म-अन्धा: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्ता-समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘जन्मना अन्धा’ (blind from birth); विशेषणम् (सा)

• प्रशान्त-अङ्गार-मेचका: dark-complexioned like cooled charcoal
• प्रशान्त-अङ्गार-मेचका: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्ता-समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रशान्त (प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्गार (प्रातिपदिक) + मेचक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः—‘प्रशान्तानाम् अङ्गाराणाम् इव मेचका’ (very dark like cooled charcoal); विशेषणम् (सा)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Rudra

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Emphasizes the veiling power of karma (tirodhāna) producing obscuration (blindness) and social marginality; invites compassion and the search for Śiva’s anugraha.

Characters & Entities

• Yama

FAQs

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

The verse highlights karmic consequence: when dharma is violated and merit is exhausted, the jīva falls into painful rebirth. From a Shaiva Siddhānta lens, this underscores bondage (pāśa) created by karma and the need for Śiva’s grace and purifying sādhanā to transcend repeated suffering.

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

Kotirudra narratives often point toward Jyotirliṅga devotion as a purifier of heavy karmas. Worship of Saguna Śiva in the Liṅga—through mantra, abhiṣeka, and pilgrimage—functions as a remedial path that softens karmic reactions and turns the mind toward liberation beyond Yama’s jurisdiction.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is karmic purification through Śiva-upāsanā: daily japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), applying tripuṇḍra (bhasma) with remembrance of Śiva, and sincere repentance with vrata/fasting (especially Mahāśivarātri), as these are repeatedly praised as purifying disciplines in Shaiva tradition.