Shloka 15

Śivāṣṭamūrti-varṇanam

Description of Shiva’s Eight Forms

Devanagari script

क्रियते यस्य कस्यापि देहिनो यदि निग्रहः । अष्टमूर्त्तेरनिष्टं तत्कृतमेव न संशयः

Transliteration

kriyate yasya kasyāpi dehino yadi nigrahaḥ | aṣṭamūrtteraniṣṭaṃ tatkṛtameva na saṃśayaḥ

Translation

若对任何具身众生施以压制或伤害，当知毫无疑问：此等不善之举，正是加诸八相之主（阿湿陀牟尔提·湿婆）自身。

Word by Word

• kriyate: is done/made
• kriyate: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (कृ) (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), आत्मनेपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive: 'is done')

• yasya: of whom/whose
• yasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक; षष्ठी, एकवचन; सम्बन्धवाचक सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• kasyāpi: of anyone at all
• kasyāpi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम) + api (अव्यय)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक; षष्ठी, एकवचन; अनिश्चितार्थ (indefinite: 'of anyone')

• dehinaḥ: of an embodied being
• dehinaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dehin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी, एकवचन; 'embodied being'

• yadi: if
• yadi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/हेतु-शर्त)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; शर्तसूचक (conditional particle: 'if')

• nigrahaḥ: restraint, suppression, harm
• nigrahaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nigraha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि वाक्ये कर्तृस्थानी (subject of passive)

• aṣṭa-mūrteḥ: of the Eight-formed (Śiva)
• aṣṭa-mūrteḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṣṭa (प्रातिपदिक) + mūrti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; षष्ठी, एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (aṣṭānāṃ mūrtīnām / aṣṭamūrtiḥ)

• aniṣṭam: undesirable, displeasing
• aniṣṭam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aniṣṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेष्यभावे (as predicate nominative: 'undesirable')

• tat: that
• tat: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; अत्र प्रथमा (that [act])

• kṛtam: done
• kṛtam: Kriya (क्रिया/भाव)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛta (कृदन्त; √kṛ कृ (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (done)

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphatic particle: 'indeed/only')

• na: no/not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation)

• saṃśayaḥ: doubt
• saṃśayaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/वाक्यांश)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃśaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'doubt' (in 'na saṃśayaḥ' = 'no doubt')

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahadeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Ethical corollary of Aṣṭamūrti doctrine: ahiṃsā and non-coercion toward embodied beings becomes Śiva-sevā; harming beings is tantamount to offending Śiva’s cosmic body.

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse teaches a Shaiva Siddhanta-aligned ethic: since Shiva pervades creation as Aṣṭamūrti, harming any embodied being becomes an offense against Shiva’s immanent presence, obstructing purity of conduct and devotion.

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

Linga worship trains the devotee to recognize Shiva as the inner reality of all forms; this verse extends that insight into daily life—reverence to Saguna Shiva includes non-violence and restraint toward living beings as part of Shiva-sevā.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice ahimsa as a vow alongside japa of “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” and mentally offer every act of restraint, kindness, and protection of beings as worship to Shiva (bhāva-pūjā), especially on Mahāśivarātri.