Shloka 57

भुवनकोशस्वभाववर्णनम् — सप्तद्वीप-पर्वत-लोकविन्यासः तथा यक्ष-उमा-प्रकाशः

Devanagari script

तदा स्वयं वृत्ररिपुः सुरेन्द्रैः सुरेश्वरः सर्वसमृद्धिहेतुः सुरेश्वरं यक्षमुवाच को वा भवानितीत्थं स कुतूहलात्मा

Transliteration

tadā svayaṃ vṛtraripuḥ surendraiḥ sureśvaraḥ sarvasamṛddhihetuḥ sureśvaraṃ yakṣamuvāca ko vā bhavānitītthaṃ sa kutūhalātmā

Translation

তখন বৃত্রবধকারী শক্র, দেবগণের অধিপতি ও তাঁদের সমৃদ্ধির কারণ, অন্যান্য দেবতাদের সঙ্গে সেই যক্ষ-রূপী অধীশ্বরের নিকট গিয়ে কৌতূহলে বললেন— “আপনি সত্যই কে?”

Word by Word

• तदा: then

• स्वयं: himself

• वृत्ररिपुः: the enemy/slayer of Vṛtra (Indra)

• सुरेन्द्रैः: by/with the lords of the Devas (the gods)

• सुरेश्वरः: the Lord of the gods

• सर्वसमृद्धिहेतुः: the cause of all prosperity/abundance

• सुरेश्वरं: the divine lord/sovereign

• यक्षम्: the Yakṣa (mysterious divine being)

• उवाच: said/spoke

• कः: who

• वा: indeed

• भवान्: you (honorific)

• इति: thus

• इत्थम्: in this manner

• सः: he

• कुतूहलात्मा: one whose mind is full of curiosity

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating; with Indra speaking within the narrative)

Characters & Entities

• Indra
• Vritra
• Devas
• Yaksha
• Shiva

FAQs

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

It frames the core Shaiva point that all prosperity and victory arise from the hidden Pati (Shiva), not from the Devas’ ego; Linga worship begins with humility and inquiry into the true source of power.

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

Through the mysterious Yakṣa, the verse hints at Shiva-tattva as concealed yet sovereign—beyond the Devas—who stands as the real cause (hetu) of all samṛddhi and the controller of cosmic functions.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The takeaway is the Pashupata discipline of ego-surrender: before mantra, puja, or siddhi, the practitioner (pashu) must replace pride with inquiry and reverence toward Pati, the Lord who grants true attainment.