Shloka 85

अध्याय ९६: शरभ-प्रादुर्भावः, नृसिंह-दर्पशमनम्, विष्णोः शिवस्तुतिः, फलश्रुति

Devanagari script

मखेशाय वरेण्याय नमस्ते वह्निरूपिणे महाघ्राणाय जिह्वाय प्राणापानप्रवर्तिने

Transliteration

makheśāya vareṇyāya namaste vahnirūpiṇe mahāghrāṇāya jihvāya prāṇāpānapravartine

Translation

Ehrerbietung Dir, Herr des Opfers, der Anbetungswürdigste und Erwählenswerte—Dir, der Du die Gestalt des heiligen Feuers annimmst. O großer Duft, o Zunge der Darbringung, Du setzt die Ströme von prāṇa und apāna in Bewegung—Huldigung Dir.

Word by Word

• मखेशाय (makheśāya): to the Lord of sacrifice (Yajña-pati)

• वरेण्याय (vareṇyāya): to the most worthy, to be chosen and revered

• नमस्ते (namas te): salutations to You

• वह्निरूपिणे (vahnirūpiṇe): to Him whose form is Fire (Agni as Shiva)

• महाघ्राणाय (mahāghrāṇāya): to the Great Smell/Fragrance (the cosmic sense of scent)

• जिह्वाय (jihvāya): to the Tongue (the tasting principle

• प्राणापानप्रवर्तिने (prāṇāpāna-pravartine): to the One who activates and governs prāṇa and apāna (vital airs)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating a stuti within the Purana’s discourse)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Agni

FAQs

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

It identifies Shiva as the inner Agni of worship—the one who receives offerings and transforms them—showing that Linga-puja is fulfilled when the devotee recognizes Shiva as the sacrificial fire and its consuming tongue.

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

Shiva is presented as Pati who pervades both ritual and embodiment: He is Yajña’s Lord and also the cosmic faculties (smell and tongue) and the regulator of prāṇa–apāna, indicating His immanence within the pashu’s life-processes.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Ritually, it points to Agni-centered yajña as Shiva’s form; yogically, it emphasizes prāṇa–apāna governance—suggesting breath-discipline where the vital airs are offered inwardly to Shiva as the inner fire.