Shloka 20

दक्षयज्ञध्वंसः—वीरभद्रप्रेषणं, देवविष्ण्वोः पराजयः, पुनरनुग्रहः

Devanagari script

यमस्य दण्डं भगवान् प्रचिछेद स्वयं प्रभुः जघान देवमीशानं त्रिशूलेन महाबलम्

Transliteration

yamasya daṇḍaṃ bhagavān pracicheda svayaṃ prabhuḥ jaghāna devamīśānaṃ triśūlena mahābalam

Translation

The Blessed Lord—self-sovereign and the supreme Pati—cut down Yama’s rod of punishment; and with His mighty trident He struck down the powerful lord among the gods, Īśāna.

Word by Word

• यमस्य: of Yama

• दण्डम्: staff/rod of punishment (authority of restraint)

• भगवान्: the Blessed Lord (Shiva)

• प्रचिछेद: cut down/broke

• स्वयं: Himself

• प्रभुः: the sovereign Lord

• जघान: struck down/slew/subdued

• देवम्: the god

• ईशानम्: Īśāna (a divine lord-name, also a form/direction-aspect of Shiva)

• त्रिशूलेन: with the trident

• महाबलम्: very powerful/mighty

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Yama
• Ishana

FAQs

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

It asserts Shiva as Pati—the supreme Lord who can nullify even Yama’s punitive authority—supporting the Linga as the highest refuge where fear of death and karmic chastisement is ultimately transcended.

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

Shiva-tattva is shown as self-sufficient sovereignty (svayaṃ prabhuḥ): the Lord who governs dharma’s enforcement (Yama’s daṇḍa) and subdues even divine powers, indicating transcendence over cosmic administration.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The takeaway aligns with Pashupata orientation: surrender to Pati through Shiva-upāsanā (especially Linga-pūjā and mantra-japa) to cut the pasha of fear and karmic retribution symbolized by Yama’s daṇḍa.