Shloka 62

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

Devanagari script

नागः कूर्मस्तु कृकलो देवदत्तो धनंजयः एतेषां यः प्रसादस्तु मरुतामिति संस्मृतः

Transliteration

nāgaḥ kūrmastu kṛkalo devadatto dhanaṃjayaḥ eteṣāṃ yaḥ prasādastu marutāmiti saṃsmṛtaḥ

Translation

Nāga, Kūrma, Kṛkala, Devadatta und Dhanaṃjaya—dies sind die Lebenswinde. Die harmonisierende Gnade (prasāda), die sie festigt und lenkt, wird als die „Maruts“ erinnert, die Winde des Lebens.

Word by Word

• nāgaḥ: Nāga (a subsidiary vital air, upa-prāṇa)

• kūrmaḥ tu: and Kūrma (upa-prāṇa)

• kṛkalaḥ: Kṛkala (upa-prāṇa)

• devadattaḥ: Devadatta (upa-prāṇa)

• dhanaṃjayaḥ: Dhanaṃjaya (upa-prāṇa)

• eteṣām: of these

• yaḥ: which/that

• prasādaḥ tu: the calming favor/settling balance indeed

• marutām: of the Maruts / of the life-winds

• iti: thus

• saṃsmṛtaḥ: is traditionally remembered/declared.

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Purana to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It links inner discipline to worship: steadiness of the life-winds (Maruts) supports mental purity and one-pointedness, making Linga-puja a true offering of the pashu’s (soul’s) inner life to Pati (Shiva).

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

By implication, Shiva-tattva is the regulating, pacifying principle (prasāda) that harmonizes the pranic forces; He is Pati who orders the pashu’s inner functions and loosens pasha through yogic steadiness.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Prāṇa-samyama (regulated breath and inner-wind balance) as a Pashupata-oriented yogic support for mantra-japa and Linga-dhyana, where calming the upa-prāṇas stabilizes attention.