Shloka 56

Varaha-Pradurbhava Context: Prahlada’s Bhakti, Narasimha’s Ugra-Form, and Shiva’s Sharabha Intervention

Devanagari script

शुक्रं तु वृत्तं विश्वेश क्रीडा वै केवलं वयम् तवोन्मेषनिमेषाभ्याम् अस्माकं प्रलयोदयौ

Transliteration

śukraṃ tu vṛttaṃ viśveśa krīḍā vai kevalaṃ vayam tavonmeṣanimeṣābhyām asmākaṃ pralayodayau

Translation

يا ربَّ الكون، إنَّ المسارَ المضيءَ الدائريَّ للزمن ليس إلا لعبتَك؛ ونحنُ مجرّدُ لاعبين فيه. وبمجرّد فتحِ عينيك وإغماضِهما يقع فناءُنا وقيامُنا—البرالايا والخلق معًا.

Word by Word

• शुक्रम्: bright/pure (radiant principle)

• तु: indeed

• वृत्तम्: cycle/course (of time/occurrence)

• विश्वेश: O Lord of the universe

• क्रीडा: divine play (līlā)

• वै: truly

• केवलम्: only/merely

• वयम्: we

• तव: Your

• उन्मेष-निमेषाभ्याम्: by (Your) opening and closing of the eyes

• अस्माकम्: of us/for us

• प्रलय-उदयौ: dissolution and arising (pralaya and creation)

Speaker

Sages (addressing Shiva) within Suta’s narration

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It frames all cosmic cycles—creation and dissolution—as Shiva’s līlā, so Linga worship becomes alignment with Pati (Shiva) beyond changing time, rather than mere petition for worldly outcomes.

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

Shiva is presented as Viśveśa, the sovereign Pati whose effortless will (symbolized by a blink) governs pralaya and udaya; the pashus (souls) are dependent participants within His cosmic play.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The implied Pāśupata insight is contemplative: meditate on pralaya–sṛṣṭi as arising from Shiva’s will, cultivating vairāgya (dispassion) and surrender to Pati during Linga-pūjā and japa.