Shloka 191

Adhyaya 70: आदिसर्गः—महत्-अहङ्कार-तन्मात्रा-भूतसृष्टिः, ब्रह्माण्डावरणम्, प्रजासर्गः, त्रिमूर्ति-शैवाधिष्ठानम्

Devanagari script

गृहमेधिनः पुराणास् ते धर्मस् तैः सम्प्रवर्तितः तेषां द्वादश ते वंशा दिव्या देवगुणान्विताः

Transliteration

gṛhamedhinaḥ purāṇās te dharmas taiḥ sampravartitaḥ teṣāṃ dvādaśa te vaṃśā divyā devaguṇānvitāḥ

Translation

Jene uralten Hausväter (gṛhamedhin) setzten durch die von ihnen begründeten Überlieferungen den Strom des Dharma in Gang; aus ihnen gingen zwölf Linien hervor—göttliche Geschlechter, erfüllt von den Eigenschaften der Götter.

Word by Word

• gṛhamedhinaḥ: householders dedicated to sacred duties

• purāṇāḥ: ancient ones, of old

• te: they/those

• dharmaḥ: Dharma, righteous order

• taiḥ: by them

• sampravartitaḥ: fully set in motion, established in practice

• teṣām: of them

• dvādaśa: twelve

• te: those

• vaṃśāḥ: lineages, dynasties

• divyāḥ: divine, luminous

• devaguṇa-anvitāḥ: endowed with divine qualities

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Characters & Entities

• Dharma

FAQs

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

It frames Dharma as a living transmission upheld by exemplary householders; in Shaiva practice, such Dharma supports right conduct (ācāra) that makes Linga-puja fruitful and purifying for the pashu (individual soul).

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

Indirectly: Shiva as Pati is the ultimate ground of Dharma, while human lineages embody and transmit that order; the “divine qualities” reflect alignment with the Shiva-ordained cosmic and ethical law.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The verse highlights gṛhastha-dharma—Vedic-Puranic duties such as daily worship, offerings, and disciplined conduct—forming the practical foundation that later supports deeper Shaiva sadhana like Pashupata-oriented purification.