Shloka 20

Indra’s Account: Shilada’s Tapas and Shiva’s Manifestation as Nandi

Devanagari script

ऋषयो मुनिशार्दूल ऋग्यजुःसामसंभवैः मन्त्रैर्माहेश्वरैः स्तुत्वा सम्प्रणेमुर्मुदान्विताः

Transliteration

ṛṣayo muniśārdūla ṛgyajuḥsāmasaṃbhavaiḥ mantrairmāheśvaraiḥ stutvā sampraṇemurmudānvitāḥ

Translation

O Tiger unter den Weisen! Die Ṛṣis—nachdem sie Mahādeva mit den Maheśvara-Mantras gepriesen hatten, die aus Ṛg-, Yajur- und Sāma-Veda hervorgehen—warfen sich voller Freude in vollständiger Niederwerfung nieder.

Word by Word

• ऋषयः: the seers

• मुनिशार्दूल: O best/tiger among sages

• ऋग्यजुःसामसंभवैः: arising from the Ṛg, Yajur, and Sāma (Vedas)

• मन्त्रैः: with mantras

• माहेश्वरैः: pertaining to Maheśvara (Śiva)

• स्तुत्वा: having praised

• सम्प्रणेमुः: they bowed down/prostrated

• मुदान्विताः: endowed with joy

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Rishis
• Vedas

FAQs

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

It establishes that Linga-oriented devotion is grounded in Vedic authority: the sages praise Śiva with Ṛg–Yajur–Sāma-derived Maheśvara mantras and complete the act with reverent prostration, a core gesture in Linga-pūjā.

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

Śiva is presented as Pati (the Lord) who is worthy of Vedic stuti; the joy and surrender of the Ṛṣis implies His grace-bestowing sovereignty that loosens pāśa (bondage) for the paśu (individual soul) through devotion and mantra.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Mantra-stuti followed by sampraṇāma (complete prostration) is highlighted—an essential worship-sequence that aligns with Pāśupata discipline: praise (stotra/mantra), humility, and surrender to Mahādeva.