Shloka 8

Adhyaya 33: Pashupata Conduct, Bhasma-Vrata, and Shiva’s Boon to the Sages

Devanagari script

रुद्रलोकमनुप्राप्य न निवर्तन्ति ते पुनः तस्मादेतद्व्रतं दिव्यम् अव्यक्तं व्यक्तलिङ्गिनः

Transliteration

rudralokamanuprāpya na nivartanti te punaḥ tasmādetadvrataṃ divyam avyaktaṃ vyaktaliṅginaḥ

Translation

Nachdem sie Rudras Welt erreicht haben, kehren sie nicht wieder zurück. Darum ist dieses göttliche Gelübde—dem Wesen nach subtil, doch durch den Liṅga offenbar—dem Herrn eigen, der das enthüllte Zeichen trägt, und es schenkt dem paśu, der gebundenen Seele, Befreiung vom Wiederkehren.

Word by Word

• रुद्रलोकम् (rudralokam): Rudra’s abode/world

• अनुप्राप्य (anuprāpya): having reached/attained

• न (na): not

• निवर्तन्ति (nivartanti): return

• ते (te): they

• पुनः (punaḥ): again

• तस्मात् (tasmāt): therefore

• एतत् (etat): this

• व्रतम् (vratam): vow/observance

• दिव्यम् (divyam): divine

• अव्यक्तम् (avyaktam): unmanifest/subtle

• व्यक्तलिङ्गिनः (vyakta-liṅginaḥ): of the One whose Linga/sign is manifest (the Linga-bearing Lord)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Linga Purana teaching to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Rudra
• Linga

FAQs

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

It declares Linga-related vrata and worship as a direct liberating discipline: reaching Rudraloka through devotion to the manifest Linga of the unmanifest Pati, the pashu is freed from returning to saṃsāra.

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

Shiva is indicated as avyakta (transcendent, beyond sensory grasp) yet approached through the vyakta-liṅga (manifest sign), showing how the formless Pati becomes accessible without losing His transcendence.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

A divine vrata centered on the Linga—regular observance combining puja, purity, and steadfast devotion—aligned with Pāśupata intent: severing pāśa (bondage) so the pashu does not return to rebirth.