Shloka 43

Prākṛta-pralaya, Pratisarga Doctrine, and the Ishvara-Samanvaya of Yoga and Devotion

Devanagari script

एष योगः समुद्दिष्टः सबीजो मुनिसत्तमाः / तस्मात् सर्वान् परित्यज्य देवान् ब्रह्मपुरोगमान् / आराधयेद् विरूपाक्षमादिमध्यान्तसंस्थितम्

Transliteration

eṣa yogaḥ samuddiṣṭaḥ sabījo munisattamāḥ / tasmāt sarvān parityajya devān brahmapurogamān / ārādhayed virūpākṣamādimadhyāntasaṃsthitam

Translation

O best of sages, this seed-bearing (bīja) Yoga has thus been taught. Therefore, abandoning all other gods—even those led by Brahmā—one should worship Virūpākṣa (Śiva), who abides as the Beginning, the Middle, and the End of all.

Word by Word

• eṣaḥ: this
• eṣaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: etad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma (सर्वनाम), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• yogaḥ: yoga, discipline
• yogaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yoga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• samuddiṣṭaḥ: has been taught/declared
• samuddiṣṭaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam-ud-diś (धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Kṛdanta past passive participle (क्त/PPP), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• sa-bījaḥ: with seed (with support)
• sa-bījaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + bīja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Compound adjective; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• muni-sattamāḥ: O best of sages
• muni-sattamāḥ: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक) + sattama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Vocative (सम्बोधन), Plural (बहुवचन), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग)

• tasmāt: therefore
• tasmāt: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Ablatival adverb (तस्मात् = ‘therefore/from that’), particle/adverb (निपात/क्रियाविशेषण)

• sarvān: all
• sarvān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Plural (बहुवचन)

• parityajya: having abandoned
• parityajya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pari-tyaj (धातु) + lyap (ल्यप्)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यपन्त), indeclinable verbal (अव्ययभाव)

• devān: the gods
• devān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Plural (बहुवचन)

• brahma-purogamān: with Brahmā at their head
• brahma-purogamān: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक) + purogama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Bahuvrīhi-like sense but form as Tatpuruṣa ‘having Brahmā in front’; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Plural (बहुवचन)

• ārādhayet: should worship
• ārādhayet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-rādh (धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-liṅ (विधिलिङ्/optative), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• virūpākṣam: Virūpākṣa (Śiva)
• virūpākṣam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: virūpākṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Proper epithet; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• ādi-madhya-anta-saṃsthitam: situated in beginning, middle, and end
• ādi-madhya-anta-saṃsthitam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ādi (प्रातिपदिक) + madhya (प्रातिपदिक) + anta (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃsthita (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: Compound adjective; Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन) (agreeing with virūpākṣam as epithet in neuter used adjectivally)

Speaker

Lord Kūrma (Viṣṇu) instructing the sages in the Ishvara-gītā-style teaching of the Upari-bhāga

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: raudra

Characters & Entities

• Virūpākṣa (Śiva)
• Brahmā
• Devas
• Pāśupata Yoga (sabīja-yoga)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

How does this verse explain the nature of the Supreme Self (Atman)?

By describing Virūpākṣa as present as the beginning, middle, and end, the verse points to the Supreme as the all-pervading ground of existence—immanent through all states and phases—rather than a limited deity among many.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

It emphasizes sabīja-yoga—practice supported by a ‘seed’ (bīja), typically implying mantra-centered, īśvara-oriented discipline—culminating in single-pointed ārādhana (devotional worship) of Śiva as the supreme focus.

How does this verse depict the relationship between Shiva and Vishnu?

With Viṣṇu (as Lord Kūrma) teaching exclusive worship of Śiva (Virūpākṣa), the text advances a synthetic Purāṇic non-sectarianism: the supreme reality is one, taught through the voice of Viṣṇu and worshipped here as Śiva.