Shloka 165

Adhyaya 72 — Puradāha: Rudra’s Cosmic Chariot, Pāśupata-Vrata, and Brahmā’s Shiva-Stuti

Devanagari script

स्वप्ने दृष्टं यत्पदार्थं ह्यलक्ष्यं दृष्टं नूनं भाति मन्ये न चापि मूर्तिर्नो वै दैवकीशान देवैर् लक्ष्या यत्नैरप्यलक्ष्यं कथं तु

Transliteration

svapne dṛṣṭaṃ yatpadārthaṃ hyalakṣyaṃ dṛṣṭaṃ nūnaṃ bhāti manye na cāpi mūrtirno vai daivakīśāna devair lakṣyā yatnairapyalakṣyaṃ kathaṃ tu

Translation

Das „Ding“, das im Traum gesehen wird, ist in Wahrheit ungreifbar; obgleich gesehen, scheint es nur zu leuchten, so meine ich—doch besitzt es keine berührbare Gestalt. Ebenso, o Herr der Devas: Das Göttliche ist kein Gegenstand, den die Götter wahrnehmen können; selbst bei größter Anstrengung bleibt Er jenseits aller Merkmale—wie könnte Er da vollständig erkennbar werden?

Word by Word

• स्वप्ने (svapne): in a dream

• दृष्टम् (dṛṣṭam): seen

• यत् (yat): which

• पदार्थम् (padārtham): object/thing as an experienced content

• हि (hi): indeed

• अलक्ष्यम् (alakṣyam): imperceptible, beyond marks

• नूनम् (nūnam): certainly

• भाति (bhāti): appears, shines

• मन्ये (manye): I think

• न (na): not

• च (ca): and

• अपि (api): even

• मूर्तिः (mūrtiḥ): concrete form

• नो (no): indeed/not (emphatic particle in context)

• वै (vai): verily

• दैवकीशान (daivakīśāna): O Lord of the Devas

• देवैः (devaiḥ): by the gods

• लक्ष्या (lakṣyā): perceivable/definable as a target

• यत्नैः (yatnaiḥ): by efforts

• अपि (api): even

• अलक्ष्यम् (alakṣyam): unperceivable

• कथम् (katham): how

• तु (tu): then/however

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating an internal address to the Lord of the Devas within the Adhyaya’s dialogue)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It frames the Linga as a sacred ‘mark’ (liṅga) that points to Shiva who is ultimately alakṣya—beyond sensory capture—so worship is directed to the Pati through symbol, mantra, and inner realization rather than treating Him as a limited object.

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

Shiva is presented as beyond perceptual definition: like a dream-object that seems vivid yet lacks graspable substance, Shiva-tattva transcends form and conceptual targeting; He is known not by mere effort of the senses but through higher knowledge and divine grace.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The verse implies Pashupata-oriented inwardness: withdrawing from appearances (dream-like cognition), stabilizing awareness, and approaching Shiva through dhyāna on the Linga and mantra-japa—seeking direct insight rather than external ‘object-perception’ alone.