Shloka 8

योगान्तरायाः, औपसर्गिकसिद्धयः, परवैराग्येन शैवप्रसादः

Devanagari script

अनात्मन्यात्मविज्ञानम् अज्ञानात्तस्य संनिधौ दुःखमाध्यात्मिकं प्रोक्तं तथा चैवाधिभौतिकम्

Transliteration

anātmanyātmavijñānam ajñānāttasya saṃnidhau duḥkhamādhyātmikaṃ proktaṃ tathā caivādhibhautikam

Translation

بسبب الجهل يُسقِط المرءُ معرفةَ الذات على ما ليس بذات؛ وفي حضور ذلك الوهم نفسه يُقال إنّ الألم ينشأ—ألمًا باطنيًا (ādhyātmika) وألمًا خارجيًا صادرًا عن الكائنات (ādhibhautika).

Word by Word

• anātmani: in the non-Self (body, mind, objects)

• ātma-vijñānam: knowledge/notion of the Self

• ajñānāt: due to ignorance (avidyā)

• tasya: of that (false identification)

• saṃnidhau: in the proximity/presence

• duḥkham: suffering

• ādhyātmikam: pertaining to the self/inner (mental, bodily, psychic)

• proktam: is declared

• tathā: and likewise

• ca eva: indeed

• ādhibhautikam: pertaining to beings/elements (external afflictions from creatures and the world)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the teaching tradition of the Linga Purana to the sages at Naimisharanya)

FAQs

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

It identifies ignorance (ajñāna)—mistaking the non-Self for the Self—as the root of suffering; Linga-worship, as devotion to Pati (Shiva), is framed as a discipline that purifies this misidentification and loosens pāśa (bondage) on the paśu (soul).

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

By implication, Shiva-tattva is the true Pati distinct from anatman; suffering persists as long as the paśu clings to false selfhood. Turning toward Shiva as the real Self-principle and Lord counters the delusion that generates duḥkha.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The verse points to the yogic task central to Pāśupata discipline: viveka (discrimination) between ātman and anātman, supported by Shiva-upāsanā (Linga-pūjā), mantra, and inner purification to end adhyātmika and adhibhautika afflictions.