Shiva Purana — Vidyesvara Samhita, Shloka 50

Sadācāra–Varṇa-lakṣaṇa and Prātaḥkṛtya

Right Conduct, Social Typologies, and Morning Purification

Devanagari script

धर्मार्थयोस्ततो यत्नं कुर्यात्कामी न चेतरः । ब्राह्मणो मुक्तिकामः स्याद्ब्रह्मज्ञानं सदाभ्यसेत्

Transliteration

dharmārthayostato yatnaṃ kuryātkāmī na cetaraḥ | brāhmaṇo muktikāmaḥ syādbrahmajñānaṃ sadābhyaset

Translation

因此，受欲望驱使之人，应当主要勤求法（dharma）与利（artha），而非仅逐享乐。然婆罗门当以解脱为志，恒常修习梵（Brahman）之智，终至证悟湿婆为主宰帕提（Pati）——赐予解脱（mokṣa）之主。

Word by Word

• धर्म-अर्थयोः: of dharma and artha
• धर्म-अर्थयोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (समाहार-द्वन्द्व), षष्ठी (6th), द्विवचन; ‘of dharma and artha’

• ततः: therefore
• ततः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त-अव्यय (ablatival adverb): ‘therefore/from that’

• यत्नम्: effort
• यत्नम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• कुर्यात्: should make/do
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• कामी: a desirous person
• कामी: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कामिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तृपदम्

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• इतरः: another (person)
• इतरः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इतर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘other (person)’

• ब्राह्मणः: a Brahmin
• ब्राह्मणः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• मुक्ति-कामः: desiring liberation
• मुक्ति-कामः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुक्ति + काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (मुक्तिं कामयते) ‘ब्राह्मणः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• स्यात्: should be
• स्यात्: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• ब्रह्म-ज्ञानम्: knowledge of Brahman
• ब्रह्म-ज्ञानम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् + ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (ब्रह्मणः ज्ञानम्)

• सदा: always
• सदा: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• अभ्यसेत्: should practice
• अभ्यसेत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-आस्/अभ्यस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Viśvanātha

Sthala Purana: As this teaching occurs in the Viśveśvara-saṃhitā (Kāśī-khaṇḍa milieu), it aligns with Kāśī Viśveśvara (Viśvanātha) as the paradigmatic Pati who grants mokṣa; Kāśī is praised as the kṣetra where liberation is specially accessible through Śiva’s grace.

Significance: Mokṣa-prada kṣetra: reinforces the ideal that the highest pursuit is liberation through Brahma-jñāna culminating in Śiva-realization.

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Brahman
• Brāhmaṇa

FAQs

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

It teaches a graded discipline: worldly people should anchor life in dharma and rightful livelihood (artha), while the spiritually mature—especially the brāhmaṇa ideal—should prioritize mokṣa through steady brahma-jñāna, understood in Shaiva terms as realization of the Supreme Lord Śiva.

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

Brahma-jñāna is not opposed to devotion; in the Shiva Purana it ripens through Śiva-upāsanā. Linga worship (Saguna support) purifies desire and steadies the mind so that knowledge matures into direct recognition of Śiva as the transcendent Pati.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The verse points to sustained spiritual practice (abhyāsa) of liberating knowledge—practically supported by daily Śiva worship, japa of the Panchākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), and contemplative inquiry into the Self under dharma-guided living.