Shloka 21

Adhyaya 23: श्वेत-लोहित-पीत-कृष्ण-विश्व-कल्पेषु रुद्रस्वरूप-गायत्री-तत्त्ववर्णनम्

Devanagari script

कृष्णरूपा च देवेश तदासीद्ब्रह्मसंज्ञिता तस्माद् घोरत्वमापन्नं ये मां वेत्स्यन्ति भूतले

Transliteration

kṛṣṇarūpā ca deveśa tadāsīdbrahmasaṃjñitā tasmād ghoratvamāpannaṃ ye māṃ vetsyanti bhūtale

Translation

O Herr der Devas, damals war Ich von dunkler Gestalt und wurde „Brahman“ (das Absolute) genannt. Darum nahm Ich eine furchterregende Erscheinung an—gegenüber jenen, die auf Erden wohnen und meinen würden, Mich wahrhaft zu „kennen“.

Word by Word

• kṛṣṇarūpā: dark-hued form

• ca: and

• deveśa: O Lord of the gods

• tadā: then/at that time

• āsīt: was

• brahma-saṃjñitā: bearing the designation ‘Brahman’/called Brahman

• tasmāt: therefore/from that cause

• ghoratvam: fierceness/terrible aspect

• āpannam: attained/assumed

• ye: those who

• mām: Me

• vetsyanti: will know/think they know

• bhūtale: on the earth/in the mortal world

Speaker

Shiva (as the Supreme Pati, speaking of His own forms)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Devas
• Brahman

FAQs

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

It frames Shiva as ultimately beyond conceptual grasp; Linga worship is thus a disciplined approach to the formless Pati through a sacred symbol, replacing egoic “I know” with reverent realization.

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

Shiva-tattva is indicated as Brahman itself—yet He adopts a ghora (awe-inspiring) mode to shatter the pashu’s pride and the pasha of false certainty, revealing that true knowledge is transformative, not merely conceptual.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The takeaway aligns with Pashupata discipline: cultivate humility, surrender, and inner purification so that the pashu may move from bondage (pasha) toward direct orientation to Pati through japa, dhyana, and Linga-upasana.