Shloka 22

Devanagari script

दृष्ट्वा श्रुत्वा भवस्तासां चेष्टावाक्यानि चाव्ययः शुभं वाप्यशुभं वापि नोक्तवान्परमेश्वरः

Transliteration

dṛṣṭvā śrutvā bhavastāsāṃ ceṣṭāvākyāni cāvyayaḥ śubhaṃ vāpyaśubhaṃ vāpi noktavānparameśvaraḥ

Translation

Nachdem Bhava—der unvergängliche Parameśvara—ihre Gebärden und Worte gesehen und gehört hatte, sagte der Höchste Herr weder „dies ist heilsam“ noch „dies ist unheilsam“.

Word by Word

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen

• श्रुत्वा: having heard

• भवः: Bhava (Śiva)

• तासाम्: of them

• चेष्टा-वाक्यानि: actions and utterances

• च: and

• अव्ययः: imperishable, unchanging

• शुभम्: auspicious/meritorious

• वा अपि: or even

• अशुभम्: inauspicious/demeritorious

• वा अपि: or even

• न उक्तवान्: did not say, did not declare

• परमेश्वरः: the Supreme Lord (Śiva).

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Linga Purana to the sages; internal scene describes Shiva as the silent witness)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva (Bhava, Parameshvara)

FAQs

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

It presents Śiva as avikāra (unchanging) and beyond moral dualities; Linga worship is thus directed to the Pati who transcends “good/bad” while still enabling purification of the Pashu through devotion and discipline.

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

Śiva is shown as the imperishable Parameśvara who merely sees and hears without reactive judgment—signifying the supreme sākṣin (witness) nature that is untouched by the guṇas and karmic opposites.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The implied Pāśupata-Yogic takeaway is sākṣī-bhāva: training the mind to observe actions and speech without attachment or aversion, aligning the Pashu toward the Pati through inner steadiness alongside outer puja.