Shloka 3

उपमन्युना कृष्णाय पाशुपतज्ञान-प्रदानम् तथा दानविधि-फलश्रुतिः

Devanagari script

सूत उवाच स्वेच्छया ह्यवतीर्णो ऽपि वासुदेवः सनातनः निन्दयन्नेव मानुष्यं देहशुद्धिं चकार सः

Transliteration

sūta uvāca svecchayā hyavatīrṇo 'pi vāsudevaḥ sanātanaḥ nindayanneva mānuṣyaṃ dehaśuddhiṃ cakāra saḥ

Translation

Sūta said: Though the eternal Vāsudeva descended by His own free will, He still reproached the human condition and, by that very stance of detachment, brought about purification of the body—showing how embodied life is to be refined toward liberation under the Lord (Pati).

Word by Word

• सूत उवाच: Sūta said

• स्वेच्छया: by his own will

• हि: indeed

• अवतीर्णः अपि: even though descended (incarnated)

• वासुदेवः: Vāsudeva (the indwelling Lord)

• सनातनः: eternal

• निन्दयन् एव: indeed censuring/reproaching

• मानुष्यं: human state/condition

• देह-शुद्धिं: purification of the body

• चकार: performed/caused

• सः: he

Speaker

Suta

Characters & Entities

• Vasudeva

FAQs

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

It frames purification (deha-śuddhi) and dispassion toward mere “human” limitations as prerequisites for approaching the Pati through Linga-upāsanā; outer ritual gains power when the embodied pashu is inwardly refined.

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

By emphasizing voluntary descent and eternality, it points to the Lord’s transcendence over embodiment while still guiding bound souls; this mirrors Shiva-tattva as Pati—free, self-willed, and liberating.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Deha-śuddhi supported by vairāgya (censure of attachment to the human condition), a key orientation in Pāśupata discipline before undertaking mantra, puja, and austerity.