Shloka 18

उपमन्युना कृष्णाय पाशुपतज्ञान-प्रदानम् तथा दानविधि-फलश्रुतिः

Devanagari script

अध्रुवेण शरीरेण ध्रुवं साध्यं प्रयत्नतः भव्यं पाशुपतं नित्यं संसारार्णवतारकम्

Transliteration

adhruveṇa śarīreṇa dhruvaṃ sādhyaṃ prayatnataḥ bhavyaṃ pāśupataṃ nityaṃ saṃsārārṇavatārakam

Translation

Mit diesem vergänglichen Körper soll man sich mit aller Mühe um das Unvergängliche bemühen. Der glückverheißende, ewige Pāśupata-Pfad ist die Fähre, die den paśu über den Ozean des Saṃsāra trägt.

Word by Word

• अध्रुवेण (adhruveṇa): with the impermanent

• शरीरेण (śarīreṇa): body

• ध्रुवं (dhruvaṃ): the steadfast/Imperishable (the Supreme)

• साध्यं (sādhyaṃ): to be attained/accomplished

• प्रयत्नतः (prayatnataḥ): through effort/with deliberate striving

• भव्यं (bhavyaṃ): auspicious, noble

• पाशुपतं (pāśupataṃ): pertaining to Paśupati, the Pāśupata discipline

• नित्यं (nityaṃ): eternal, constant

• संसार-अर्णव-तारकम् (saṃsārārṇava-tārakam): that which enables crossing the ocean of worldly existence

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva-oriented teaching within the Purana’s discourse)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva (Paśupati)

FAQs

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

It frames Shiva (Paśupati) as the liberating refuge and presents the Pāśupata discipline—centered on Shiva-devotion and right practice—as the means for the pashu (soul) to cross saṃsāra, which is the inner purpose behind Linga-worship.

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

By contrasting the perishable body with the “Dhruva” (Imperishable), it points to Shiva as the unchanging Pati—steady, eternal, and the ultimate goal beyond bodily impermanence and worldly flux.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Pāśupata sādhanā: sustained effort (prayatna) in Shiva-centered discipline—devotion, restraint, and transformative practice—aimed at liberation from pasha (bondage) and passage beyond saṃsāra.