Śivasaṃhitā 1.26

The equation is direct: pāpakarma (impure, sinful action) produces duḥkha (suffering), while puṇyakarma (meritorious, virtuous action) produces sukha (happiness). The verse states the moral law of the universe in its most condensed form, without narrative embellishment. The particle vaśāt («by the power of», «under the sway of») reveals that this is not casual correlation but necessary causality.

Duḥkha and sukha are fundamental technical terms throughout Indian philosophical literature. Their popular etymology associates them with poorly or well-centered wheel hubs (duḥ- = bad, su- = good; kha = axle or wheel hub), an image evoking a rough or smooth journey. Whether etymologically precise or not, the metaphor perfectly illustrates how misaligned karma generates existential friction.

This verse functions as a hinge between the description of heaven (verse 25) and the analysis of rebirth (verses 27–28). The Śivasaṃhitā does not reject conventional morality but places it in its proper position: valid within saṃsāra, yet insufficient for liberation. The yogin aspires to transcend both polarities rather than merely maximizing puṇya.