Shloka 16

अन्धकानुग्रहः—शूलारोपणं, रुद्रस्मरण-फलम्, तथा गाणपत्य-प्रदानम् (अध्याय 93)

Devanagari script

जन्मान्तरे ऽपि देवेन दग्धो यस्माच्छिवेन वै आराधितो मया शंभुः पुरा साक्षान्महेश्वरः

Transliteration

janmāntare 'pi devena dagdho yasmācchivena vai ārādhito mayā śaṃbhuḥ purā sākṣānmaheśvaraḥ

Translation

Denn auch in einer früheren Geburt wurde ich von eben diesem Gott—Śiva—verbrannt; und doch hatte ich einst Śambhu verehrt, den unmittelbar offenbar gewordenen Maheśvara. Darum wurde selbst jenes Verbrennen Teil der reinigenden Gnade des Herrn.

Word by Word

• janmāntare: in another birth

• api: even/also

• devena: by the god

• dagdhaḥ: burned

• yasmāt: because/since

• chivena: by Shiva

• vai: indeed

• ārādhitaḥ: worshipped/propitiated

• mayā: by me

• śaṃbhuḥ: Śambhu (the auspicious Lord Shiva)

• purā: formerly/long ago

• sākṣāt: directly, manifestly

• maheśvaraḥ: Maheśvara, the Great Lord

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating an internal account of a devotee’s past-life experience)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Shambhu
• Maheshvara

FAQs

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

It teaches that worship of Śambhu (often through Linga-upāsanā) bears fruit across lifetimes; even painful karmic outcomes can become purification when connected to Shiva’s anugraha.

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

Shiva is presented as sākṣāt Maheśvara—directly present and effective as Pati (the Lord), capable of burning impurities and reshaping the pashu’s karmic trajectory toward liberation.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The core practice is ārādhana (devotional propitiation)—a Shaiva sādhanā aligned with Pāśupata intent: enduring and transforming bondage (pāśa) through steadfast worship of Pati.