Shloka 172

वासिष्ठकथनम् (आदित्य–सोमवंशवर्णनम् तथा रुद्रसहस्रनाम-प्रशंसा)

Devanagari script

यः पठेच्छृणुयाद् वापि श्रावयेद्ब्राह्मणानपि अश्वमेधसहस्रस्य फलं प्राप्नोति वै द्विजाः

Transliteration

yaḥ paṭhecchṛṇuyād vāpi śrāvayedbrāhmaṇānapi aśvamedhasahasrasya phalaṃ prāpnoti vai dvijāḥ

Translation

O ihr Zweifachgeborenen: Wer dies rezitiert, oder es hört, oder auch Brahmanen dazu bringt, es zu hören, erlangt wahrlich den Verdienst, der tausend Aśvamedha-Opfern gleichkommt; denn Śiva, der Pati, der den paśu vom pāśa befreit, wird durch śravaṇa und pāṭha erfreut.

Word by Word

• यः (yaḥ): whoever

• पठेत् (paṭhet): would recite/read

• शृणुयात् (chṛṇuyāt): would hear/listen

• वा अपि (vā api): or even

• श्रावयेत् (śrāvayet): would cause to be heard/teach/recite for others

• ब्राह्मणान् अपि (brāhmaṇān api): even Brahmins

• अश्वमेध-सहस्रस्य (aśvamedha-sahasrasya): of a thousand Aśvamedha horse-sacrifices

• फलम् (phalam): fruit/merit

• प्राप्नोति (prāpnoti): attains/obtains

• वै (vai): indeed/truly

• द्विजाः (dvijāḥ): O twice-born (Brahmins and other initiated classes)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Brahmins

FAQs

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

It elevates śravaṇa (hearing) and pāṭha (recitation) of Śiva-centered scripture as a powerful upāsanā that yields merits surpassing grand Vedic rites, indicating that devotion to the Liṅga’s Lord is itself a supreme offering.

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

By equating scriptural hearing/recitation with immense sacrificial merit, the verse implies Śiva-tattva as the supreme Pati whose grace is accessed through bhakti and jñāna-oriented practices, freeing the paśu from pāśa without dependence on costly external ritual alone.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The primary practice is śravaṇa–kīrtana/pāṭha: hearing, reciting, and facilitating recitation for Brahmins—an accessible devotional discipline aligned with Shaiva siddhānta-style grace (anugraha) rather than elaborate yajña.