Shloka 35
Lord Śiva Instructs the Pracetās (Śiva-stuti and the Path of Bhakti)
सङ्कर्षणाय सूक्ष्माय दुरन्तायान्तकाय च । नमो विश्वप्रबोधाय प्रद्युम्नायान्तरात्मने ॥ ३५ ॥
saṅkarṣaṇāya sūkṣmāya durantāyāntakāya ca namo viśva-prabodhāya pradyumnāyāntar-ātmane
Obeisances to Saṅkarṣaṇa, the subtle source of material ingredients, lord of integration and dissolution—unconquerable and the bringer of the end. Obeisances to Pradyumna, who awakens the universe, the presiding Deity of intelligence, and the indwelling Self.
The whole universe is maintained by the integrating power of the Supreme Lord, who is known in that capacity by the name Saṅkarṣaṇa. The material scientists may have discovered the law of gravity, which maintains the integration of objects within the material energy, yet the master of all integration can create devastation by the disintegrating blazing fire emanating from His mouth. A description of this can be found in the Eleventh Chapter of Bhagavad-gītā, wherein the universal form of the Lord is described. The master of integration is also the destroyer of this world by virtue of His disintegrating energy. Saṅkarṣaṇa is the master of integration and disintegration, whereas Pradyumna, another feature of Lord Vāsudeva, is responsible for universal growth and maintenance. The word sūkṣmāya is significant because within this gross material body there are subtle material bodies, namely mind, intelligence and ego. The Lord in His different features — Vāsudeva, Aniruddha, Pradyumna and Saṅkarṣaṇa — maintains both the gross and subtle material elements of this world. As mentioned in Bhagavad-gītā, the gross material elements are earth, water, fire, air and ether, and the subtle material elements are mind, intelligence and ego. All of them are controlled by the Supreme Personality of Godhead as Vāsudeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna and Aniruddha, and this will be further explained in the following verse.
FAQs
They are divine expansions (vyūhas) of the Supreme Lord, praised here by Lord Śiva as subtle, unfathomable, and as the inner Self (Antaryāmī) who awakens consciousness in all beings.
In his hymn (Rudra-gīta), Lord Śiva glorifies the Lord’s forms and functions to teach the Pracetās pure devotion and to direct their worship toward the Supreme Personality of Godhead present within all.
Practice remembering that the Lord is present within everyone—this supports humility, nonviolence, and steady devotion through prayer, mantra, and mindful conduct.