Shloka 23

Devanagari script

एवमुक्त्वा घृणी विप्रं भगवान् पुरुषोत्तमः वसिष्ठं मुनिशार्दूलं तत्रैवान्तरधीयत

Transliteration

evamuktvā ghṛṇī vipraṃ bhagavān puruṣottamaḥ vasiṣṭhaṃ muniśārdūlaṃ tatraivāntaradhīyata

Translation

Nachdem der erhabene Herr—Puruṣottama—so zu dem mitfühlenden Brahmanen‑Weisen Vasiṣṭha, dem Löwen unter den Munis, gesprochen hatte, verschwand er an eben diesem Ort.

Word by Word

• evam: thus

• uktvā: having spoken

• ghṛṇī: compassionate, merciful one

• vipram: to the brāhmaṇa/sage

• bhagavān: the Blessed Lord

• puruṣottamaḥ: the Supreme Person (highest Puruṣa)

• vasiṣṭham: Vasiṣṭha

• muniśārdūlam: tiger among sages, best of munis

• tatraiva: right there, in that very place

• antaradhīyata: disappeared, became invisible

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the episode; internal narrative describes the Lord’s action)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Vasiṣṭha

FAQs

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

It marks the completion of the Lord’s direct upadeśa to Vasiṣṭha and shows that Śiva’s presence can become subtle (antarhita) even while remaining the indwelling reality honored through the Liṅga.

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

Śiva appears as Bhagavān and Puruṣottama—transcendent yet accessible—granting instruction (anugraha) and then withdrawing from gross perception, consistent with the Siddhānta view of Pati as beyond the senses.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The verse implies guru-centered transmission: divine teaching received by a qualified ṛṣi, which in practice supports Pāśupata-style discipline—steady remembrance, mantra, and Liṅga-upāsanā even when the Lord is not visibly manifest.