Shloka 21

Devanagari script

जनार्दनसुतः प्राह तपसा प्राप्य शङ्करम् तव वामाङ्गजो विष्णुर् दक्षिणाङ्गभवो ह्यहम्

Transliteration

janārdanasutaḥ prāha tapasā prāpya śaṅkaram tava vāmāṅgajo viṣṇur dakṣiṇāṅgabhavo hyaham

Translation

Nachdem er Śaṅkara durch Askese erlangt hatte, sprach der Sohn Janārdanas: „Aus Deiner linken Seite wurde Viṣṇu geboren; aus Deiner rechten Seite bin wahrlich ich geboren.“

Word by Word

• जनार्दनसुतः (janārdana-sutaḥ): the son of Janārdana (Vishnu)

• प्राह (prāha): said

• तपसा (tapasā): by austerity, through tapas

• प्राप्य (prāpya): having attained, having reached

• शङ्करम् (śaṅkaram): Śaṅkara (Shiva)

• तव (tava): of You, Your

• वामाङ्गजः (vāmāṅga-jaḥ): born from the left side

• विष्णुः (viṣṇuḥ): Vishnu

• दक्षिणाङ्गभवः (dakṣiṇāṅga-bhavaḥ): arisen from the right side

• हि (hi): indeed

• अहम् (aham): I

Speaker

Janardana-suta (a divine son associated with Vishnu) addressing Shiva (Shankara)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Vishnu
• Janardana

FAQs

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

It frames Śiva as the primordial Pati from whom cosmic functions arise, supporting Linga worship as devotion to the supreme source beyond sectarian division.

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

Śiva-tattva is presented as the originating principle: even Viṣṇu and other divine agencies are depicted as manifestations from Śaṅkara, indicating Śiva’s transcendence and immanence as Pati.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Tapas (austerity) is emphasized as a Pāśupata-aligned means to attain Śaṅkara—disciplining the pashu (soul) to loosen pāśa (bondage) and approach the Pati.