Shloka 10

नैमिषारण्ये सूतागमनम् — लिङ्गमाहात्म्यभूमिका तथा शब्दब्रह्म-ओङ्कार-लिङ्गतत्त्वम्

Devanagari script

दृष्ट्वा तम् अतिविश्वस्तं विद्वांसं रोमहर्षणम् अपृच्छंश्च ततः सूतम् ऋषिं सर्वे तपोधनाः

Transliteration

dṛṣṭvā tam ativiśvastaṃ vidvāṃsaṃ romaharṣaṇam apṛcchaṃśca tataḥ sūtam ṛṣiṃ sarve tapodhanāḥ

Translation

ولمّا رأوا رُوماهَرْشَنَةَ، وهو بالغُ الثقةِ عالِمٌ، سأل جميعُ الرِّشِيّين الأغنياءِ بالزُّهدِ ذلكَ السُّوتا الرائي—ليُعْرَفَ بوضوحٍ طريقُ الوصولِ إلى الرَّبِّ الأسمى (البَتِي) ونَيْلُ الحُرِّيّةِ من القَيْد (البَاشَا).

Word by Word

• दृष्ट्वा (dṛṣṭvā): having seen

• तम् (tam): him

• अतिविश्वस्तं (ativiśvastaṃ): exceedingly trustworthy

• विद्वांसं (vidvāṃsaṃ): learned, wise

• रोमहर्षणम् (romaharṣaṇam): Romaharṣaṇa (name of Sūta)

• अपृच्छन् (apṛcchan): they asked, inquired

• च (ca): and

• ततः (tataḥ): then, thereafter

• सूतम् (sūtam): the Sūta (bard-narrator)

• ऋषिं (ṛṣiṃ): the seer

• सर्वे (sarve): all

• तपोधनाः (tapodhanāḥ): those whose wealth is tapas (austerity)

Speaker

Narrator (Suta tradition framing the scene at Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Suta (Romaharshana)
• Sages (Tapodhanas)

FAQs

What is the importance of this verse in the context of Linga worship?

It establishes the authoritative transmission: realized sages approach a trusted Sūta so that the doctrine and practice leading toward Shiva (Pati) can be taught—this frames later Linga-upāsanā and its fruits.

How does this verse describe the nature of Shiva (Shiva-tattva)?

Indirectly, it points to Shiva-tattva as knowable through śāstra and realized instruction: the sages seek a reliable teacher so the means to transcend pāśa (bondage) and realize Pati can be articulated.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

No single rite is named, but the verse foregrounds śravaṇa (listening to Purāṇic revelation) and guru-śiṣya inquiry as the gateway to later teachings on Pāśupata Yoga and Linga-pūjā.