Shloka 56

शिवार्चनविधिः — देवतानां पाशुपतव्रतप्राप्तिः तथा पशुपाशविमोक्षणम् (अध्याय ८०)

Devanagari script

उपदिश्य मुनीनां च सहास्ते चांबया भवः तदाप्रभृति ते देवाः सर्वे पाशुपताः स्मृताः

Transliteration

upadiśya munīnāṃ ca sahāste cāṃbayā bhavaḥ tadāprabhṛti te devāḥ sarve pāśupatāḥ smṛtāḥ

Translation

Nachdem Bhava (Śiva) zusammen mit Ambā (Śakti) die Munis unterwiesen hatte, blieb er dort. Von da an wurden jene Devas alle als „Pāśupatas“ erinnert: als Bhaktas, in Pati gegründet und dem Weg gemäß, der das pāśa (Band) des paśu (der Seele) lockert.

Word by Word

• उपदिश्य (upadiśya): having instructed/taught

• मुनीनाम् (munīnāṃ): of the sages

• च (ca): and

• सह (saha): together with

• आस्ते (āste): remained/dwelt

• च (ca): and

• अंबया (ambayā): with Ambā, the Mother (Pārvatī/Śakti)

• भवः (bhavaḥ): Bhava, Śiva

• तदा-प्रभृति (tadāprabhṛti): from that time onward

• ते (te): those

• देवाः (devāḥ): gods/devas

• सर्वे (sarve): all

• पाशुपताः (pāśupatāḥ): Pāśupatas, followers of Paśupati

• स्मृताः (smṛtāḥ): remembered/known as

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Purana; reporting the outcome of Shiva’s instruction)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva (Bhava/Paśupati)
• Parvati (Ambā/Śakti)
• Munis (Sages)
• Devas

FAQs

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

It frames Shiva’s upadeśa as the turning point that establishes a Pāśupata identity—devotees oriented to Paśupati (the Lord worshiped through Linga-bhāva) and to liberation from pasha (bondage).

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

Shiva appears as Bhava/Paśupati—the Pati who teaches and stabilizes dharma—while remaining inseparable from Ambā (Śakti), indicating the non-dual operative unity of Shiva and Shakti in bestowing grace.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The verse points to Pāśupata discipline arising from Shiva’s instruction—an initiatory, grace-centered path (upadeśa) aimed at loosening pasha for the paśu through devotion and yogic restraint.