Shloka 51

Adhyaya 8: Yogasthanas, Ashtanga Yoga, Pranayama-Siddhi, and Shiva-Dhyana leading to Samadhi

Devanagari script

सगर्भो ऽगर्भ इत्युक्तः सजपो विजपः क्रमात् इभो वा शरभो वापि दुराधर्षो ऽथ केसरी

Transliteration

sagarbho 'garbha ityuktaḥ sajapo vijapaḥ kramāt ibho vā śarabho vāpi durādharṣo 'tha kesarī

Translation

Er wird ‘Sagarbha’ und auch ‘Agarbha’ genannt—gestaltvoll und doch jenseits aller Schoße. Der Ordnung nach ist Er ‘Sajapa’ und ‘Vijapa’, der Herr des ausgesprochenen Mantras und des Mantras, das unausgesprochen im Innern widerhallt. Er ist auch der Elefant und der Śarabha—unbesiegbar, unangreifbar—und ebenso der Löwe: Pati, der höchste Beschützer, der alle Fesseln des Paśu überwindet.

Word by Word

• sagarbhaḥ: possessing an inner seed/embryo, having manifest form

• agarbhaḥ: without womb, unoriginated, beyond material generation

• iti uktaḥ: thus is said/called

• sajapaḥ: with japa, associated with audible mantra-repetition

• vijapaḥ: without (external) japa, the silent/inner japa, ajapa-like

• kramāt: in sequence, successively

• ibhaḥ: elephant, mighty one

• vā: or/indeed

• śarabhaḥ: śarabha (mythic overpowering beast), one who subdues all

• vā api: and also

• durādharṣaḥ: hard to assail, invincible

• atha: then/also

• kesarī: lion, lord of beasts

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva’s epithets to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It frames Shiva as both immanent (sagarbha) and transcendent (agarbha), guiding the devotee to worship the Linga as the manifest support of the unmanifest Pati—beyond birth, yet present for grace.

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

Shiva-tattva is shown as paradox-resolving: He can be spoken of as ‘with form’ and ‘formless/unborn’, and as the supreme, unassailable Lord (durādharṣa) who stands above all pasha (bondage) and protects the paśu (soul).

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

It highlights japa in two modes—sajapa (audible repetition) and vijapa (silent inner recitation), pointing to Pashupata-oriented inner mantra discipline where awareness becomes continuous remembrance of Shiva.