Shloka 11

Adhyaya 34: भस्ममहात्म्यं—अग्नीषोमात्मक-शिवतत्त्वं तथा पाशुपतव्रतप्रशंसा

Devanagari script

व्रतं पाशुपतं योगं कापिलं चैव निर्मितम् पूर्वं पाशुपतं ह्येतन् निर्मितं तदनुत्तमम्

Transliteration

vrataṃ pāśupataṃ yogaṃ kāpilaṃ caiva nirmitam pūrvaṃ pāśupataṃ hyetan nirmitaṃ tadanuttamam

Translation

Er begründete das Pāśupata-Gelübde und den Yoga des Kapila. Wahrlich, diese Pāśupata-Disziplin wurde zuerst eingesetzt; sie ist der unübertreffliche Pfad, der den paśu, die gebundene Seele, vom pāśa zum Herrn Paśupati führt.

Word by Word

• व्रतम्: sacred vow/observance

• पाशुपतम्: belonging to Paśupati (Śiva), the Pāśupata discipline

• योगम्: yoga, spiritual method of union

• कापिलम्: of Kapila, Kapila’s system (Sāṅkhya-yoga)

• च एव: and also

• निर्मितम्: established/created

• पूर्वम्: first/earlier

• हि: indeed

• एतत्: this

• तत्: that

• अनुत्तमम्: unsurpassed, supreme

Speaker

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

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Kapila

FAQs

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

It frames Pāśupata-vrata as the primordial Shaiva observance—implying that Linga-centered devotion is grounded in an ancient, supreme discipline aimed at union with Paśupati (Śiva).

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

Śiva is implied as Paśupati—the transcendent Lord (Pati) who institutes liberating means so that the paśu (individual soul) may be freed from pāśa (bondage) through the highest path.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The verse highlights Pāśupata-vrata/Pāśupata-yoga as the foremost Shaiva discipline, and also mentions Kapila’s yogic system as a parallel doctrinal framework acknowledged in the Purana.