Shloka 86

ध्यानयज्ञः, संसार-विष-निरूपणम्, पाशुपतयोगः, परा-अपरा विद्या, चतुर्वस्था-विचारः (अध्यायः ८६)

Devanagari script

आत्मा एकश् च चरति तमुपासीत मां प्रभुम् अजरं तमनन्तं च अशोकममृतं ध्रुवम्

Transliteration

ātmā ekaś ca carati tamupāsīta māṃ prabhum ajaraṃ tamanantaṃ ca aśokamamṛtaṃ dhruvam

Translation

আত্মা একেই হৈ সৰ্বত্ৰ বিচৰণ কৰে; সেয়ে মোক—প্ৰভু (পতি)ক—উপাসনা কৰা: যি অজৰ, অনন্ত, অশোক, অমৃত আৰু ধ্ৰুৱ।

Word by Word

• आत्मा (ātmā): the Self

• एकः (ekaḥ): one, non-dual

• च (ca): and

• चरति (carati): moves, pervades, wanders

• तम् (tam): Him/That (the Supreme)

• उपासीत (upāsīta): should worship, should contemplate

• माम् (mām): Me

• प्रभुम् (prabhum): the Lord, Master (Pati)

• अजरम् (ajaram): unaging

• तम् (tam): Him

• अनन्तम् (anantam): endless, infinite

• च (ca): and

• अशोकम् (aśokam): free from sorrow

• अमृतम् (amṛtam): deathless, immortal

• ध्रुवम् (dhruvam): firm, immutable, constant.

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva’s teaching in the Linga Purana context)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It frames Linga-upāsanā as worship of the one, all-pervading Pati—Shiva—whose nature is unaging, infinite, sorrowless, immortal, and unwavering; the Linga becomes the meditative support for that transcendent reality.

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

Shiva is presented as Pati: ajara (beyond decay), ananta (limitless), aśoka (untouched by duḥkha), amṛta (beyond death), and dhruva (unchangeable), indicating the liberated, absolute ground distinct from pasha (bondage) that binds the pashu (soul).

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Upāsanā—steady contemplation and worship—aligning the pashu’s awareness with the one Self that ‘moves through all,’ a key inner discipline supporting Pashupata-oriented devotion and dhyāna on Shiva as the immutable Pati.