Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 41

श्रद्धामाहात्म्यं तथा देवीप्रश्नः

The Greatness of Śraddhā and Devī’s Question to Śiva

Devanagari script

प्रसादान्मम योगज्ञः कर्मबंधं प्रहास्यति । पुण्यःपुण्यात्मकं कर्ममुक्तेस्तत्प्रतिबंधकम् । तस्मान्नियोगतो योगी पुण्यापुण्यं विवर्जयेत्

Transliteration

prasādānmama yogajñaḥ karmabaṃdhaṃ prahāsyati | puṇyaḥpuṇyātmakaṃ karmamuktestatpratibaṃdhakam | tasmānniyogato yogī puṇyāpuṇyaṃ vivarjayet

Translation

由我恩 grace，通达瑜伽者将弃除业之系缚。即便是有功德之行——虽属善性——亦成解脱之障。故瑜伽行者安住正律，当舍善业与恶业二者。

Word by Word

• prasādāt: from grace
• prasādāt: Apādāna (अपादान/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prasāda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन

• mama: of me/my
• mama: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• yoga-jñaḥ: the knower of yoga
• yoga-jñaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yoga (प्रातिपदिक) + jña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः

• karma-bandham: bondage of action
• karma-bandham: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karma (प्रातिपदिक) + bandha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (कर्मणः बन्धः)

• prahāsyati: will abandon/leave off
• prahāsyati: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√hā (हा)
• Form: लृट् (Simple future), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• puṇya: merit
• puṇya: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puṇya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; (पाठे ‘पुण्यःपुण्यात्मकं’—समास/सन्धि अस्पष्ट; अर्थतः ‘पुण्यापुण्यात्मकं’)

• apuṇya-ātmakam: having the nature of demerit
• apuṇya-ātmakam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-puṇya (प्रातिपदिक) + ātmaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (अपुण्यं आत्मा यस्य/यत्)

• karma: action/karma
• karma: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• mukteḥ: of liberation
• mukteḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mukti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• tat-pratibandhakam: an obstacle to that (liberation)
• tat-pratibandhakam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + pratibandhaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (तस्य—मुक्तेः—प्रतिबन्धकं)

• tasmāt: therefore
• tasmāt: Hetu (हेतु/Reason)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक, पञ्चमी, एकवचन; हेत्वर्थे (therefore)

• niyogataḥ: according to injunction/discipline
• niyogataḥ: Hetu (हेतु/Reason/according to rule)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: niyoga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् (as per injunction/discipline)

• yogī: a yogi
• yogī: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yogin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• puṇya-apuṇyam: merit and demerit
• puṇya-apuṇyam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puṇya (प्रातिपदिक) + apuṇya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; द्वन्द्व-समासः (पुण्यं च अपुण्यं च)

• vivarjayet: should avoid/renounce
• vivarjayet: Kriyā (क्रिया/Prescriptive predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-√vṛj (वृज्)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Highlights nirbandha-mukti: even puṇya can bind; liberation is by Śiva’s prasāda, urging transcendence of karmic dualities—core Siddhānta emphasis on anugraha overcoming pāśa.

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse teaches that liberation is not attained merely by accumulating virtue; both “good” and “bad” karmas can function as pāśa (bondage). Moksha arises through Shiva’s grace and the yogin’s shift from karma-driven identity to Shiva-oriented knowledge and detachment.

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

Linga/Saguna Shiva worship is a disciplined path that purifies the mind and redirects agency toward Shiva. When devotion matures into surrender, actions are no longer performed for personal merit but as offerings—supporting the transcendence of both puṇya and pāpa, culminating in Shiva’s prasāda.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice steady yoga with Shiva-centered devotion: japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and offering actions to Shiva without seeking merit. Supportive Shaiva disciplines like Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrāksha can be used as aids to remembrance and detachment.