Shloka 15

स्वेच्छाविग्रहसंभव-प्रतिष्ठाफलवर्णनम् (विविधशिवमूर्तिप्रतिष्ठा, लोक-फल, शिवसायुज्य)

Devanagari script

त्रिपादं सप्तहस्तं च चतुःशृङ्गं द्विशीर्षकम् कृत्वा यज्ञेशमीशानं विष्णुलोके महीयते

Transliteration

tripādaṃ saptahastaṃ ca catuḥśṛṅgaṃ dviśīrṣakam kṛtvā yajñeśamīśānaṃ viṣṇuloke mahīyate

Translation

Wer Īśāna—den Herrn des Opfers—als dreifüßig, siebenhändig, vierhörnig und zweiköpfig gestaltet (oder in Meditation schaut), wird in Viṣṇus Welt geehrt. Im śaivischen Verständnis entspringt diese Frucht der Betrachtung Patis (Śivas) als innerem Lenker aller vedischen Riten, der ihre Formen überragt und sie doch durchdringt.

Word by Word

• त्रिपादम्: three-footed

• सप्तहस्तम्: seven-handed

• च: and

• चतुःशृङ्गम्: four-horned

• द्विशीर्षकम्: two-headed

• कृत्वा: having made / having conceived / having fashioned (in thought or image)

• यज्ञेशम्: Lord of sacrifice (Yajña-Īśa)

• ईशानम्: Īśāna, the sovereign aspect of Śiva

• विष्णुलोके: in Viṣṇu-loka (the realm of Viṣṇu)

• महीयते: is honored / attains greatness

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the phala of a prescribed contemplation to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva (Ishana)
• Vishnu

FAQs

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

It teaches a specific dhyāna-lakṣaṇa (meditative iconography) of Īśāna as Yajñeśvara, implying that true yajña is fulfilled when its inner Lord (Śiva as Pati) is recognized and worshiped—an idea central to Linga-oriented devotion.

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

Śiva is presented as Īśāna, the sovereign principle who presides over and perfects Vedic sacrifice—Pati who is beyond form yet can be contemplated through symbolic attributes, granting upliftment even to realms associated with Viṣṇu.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

A dhyāna-based upāsanā: mentally forming and contemplating Yajñeśvara-Īśāna with prescribed features, aligning the practitioner (pashu) toward release from pasha through focused devotion and inner yajña.