Shloka 35

प्रलय-तत्त्वलयः, नीललोहित-रुद्रः, अष्टमूर्तिस्तवः, एवं ब्रह्मणो वैराग्यम्

Devanagari script

तदाष्टधा महादेवः समातिष्ठत्समन्ततः तदा प्रकाशते भानुः कृष्णवर्त्मा निशाकरः

Transliteration

tadāṣṭadhā mahādevaḥ samātiṣṭhatsamantataḥ tadā prakāśate bhānuḥ kṛṣṇavartmā niśākaraḥ

Translation

Da trat Mahādeva, der Pati aller Wesen, überall in achtfacher Gestalt hervor. In eben diesem Augenblick erstrahlte die Sonne, und auch der Mond—von dunkler Bahn gezeichnet—wurde offenbar, als kosmische Zeichen Seiner allumfassenden Macht.

Word by Word

• tadā: then

• aṣṭadhā: in eightfold form

• mahādevaḥ: Mahadeva (Shiva)

• samātiṣṭhat: stood/established Himself

• samantataḥ: on all sides, everywhere

• tadā: then, at that time

• prakāśate: shines forth, becomes manifest

• bhānuḥ: the Sun

• kṛṣṇa-vartmā: having a dark path/mark (dark-course, dark-streaked)

• niśākaraḥ: the Moon (maker of night)

Speaker

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

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Surya
• Chandra

FAQs

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

It frames Shiva as the all-pervading Pati who manifests universally; Linga worship mirrors this by treating the Linga as the omnipresent axis through which the cosmos (including Sun and Moon) is sanctified and approached.

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

Shiva-tattva is shown as vyāpaka (all-pervading) and multi-aspected: Mahadeva “stands everywhere” in an eightfold mode, indicating His immanence in cosmic functions while remaining the sovereign source of their illumination.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The takeaway aligns with Pashupata contemplation: meditate on Shiva’s aṣṭadhā presence in the cosmos (lights like Sun and Moon included), loosening pasha (bondage) by recognizing all phenomena as expressions of Pati.