Shloka 2

बन्धमोक्षवर्णनम्

Bondage and Liberation: The Prakṛti–Karma Wheel and Śiva as the Transcendent Cause

Devanagari script

प्रकृत्याद्यष्टबंधेन बद्धो जीवः स उच्यते । प्रकृत्याद्यष्टबंधेन निर्मुक्तो मुक्त उच्यते

Transliteration

prakṛtyādyaṣṭabaṃdhena baddho jīvaḥ sa ucyate | prakṛtyādyaṣṭabaṃdhena nirmukto mukta ucyate

Translation

个体之灵（jīva）若被以“原质”（Prakṛti）为首的八种系缚所缠缚，便称为“有缚”。若从同样以原质为首的八种系缚中彻底解脱，便称为“解脱者”（mukta）。

Word by Word

• prakṛti-ādya-aṣṭa-bandhena: by the eight bonds beginning with prakṛti
• prakṛti-ādya-aṣṭa-bandhena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prakṛti (प्रातिपदिक) + ādya (प्रातिपदिक) + aṣṭa (प्रातिपदिक) + bandha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुषः: प्रकृत्यादयः अष्टौ बन्धाः तैः (instrument of eight bonds beginning with prakṛti)

• baddhaḥ: bound
• baddhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bandh (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• jīvaḥ: the individual soul
• jīvaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jīva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• saḥ: he/that one
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ucyate: is called
• ucyate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive)

• prakṛti-ādya-aṣṭa-bandhena: by the eight bonds beginning with prakṛti
• prakṛti-ādya-aṣṭa-bandhena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prakṛti (प्रातिपदिक) + ādya (प्रातिपदिक) + aṣṭa (प्रातिपदिक) + bandha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; पूर्ववत्

• nirmuktaḥ: released/free from
• nirmuktaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nir + muc (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; उपसर्ग-युक्त (nir-)

• muktaḥ: liberated
• muktaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: muc (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ucyate: is called
• ucyate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Shiva Purana teaching to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It defines bondage and liberation in Shaiva terms: the jīva is ‘bound’ when conditioned by Prakṛti and related fetters, and ‘liberated’ when these constraints are removed, allowing the soul to abide in Shiva’s grace and true awareness.

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

Linga worship and devotion to Saguna Shiva purify the jīva from identification with Prakṛti and its limitations; through Shiva’s anugraha (grace), the bonds are loosened and finally cut, leading toward mukti.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is steady japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with Linga-pūjā, supported by Shaiva disciplines like wearing Rudraksha and applying Tripundra (bhasma) as aids for detachment from Prakṛti-bound identity.