Shloka 5

देवदारुवनौकसां प्रति ब्रह्मोपदेशः—लिङ्गलक्षण-प्रतिष्ठा-विधिः, शिवमायारूपदर्शनं, स्तुतिः

Devanagari script

संहरत्येष भगवान् कालो भूत्वा महेश्वरः एष चैव प्रजाः सर्वाः सृजत्येकः स्वतेजसा

Transliteration

saṃharatyeṣa bhagavān kālo bhūtvā maheśvaraḥ eṣa caiva prajāḥ sarvāḥ sṛjatyekaḥ svatejasā

Translation

Becoming Mahēśvara as Time itself, this Blessed Lord withdraws and dissolves the cosmos; and that very One—alone, by His own radiance—again brings forth all beings. In Śaiva Siddhānta, He is Pati, sovereign over both sṛṣṭi and saṃhāra, while the paśus move within His order.

Word by Word

• संहरति: withdraws/dissolves

• एष: this (One)

• भगवान्: the Blessed Lord

• कालः: Time

• भूत्वा: having become/assuming the form

• महेश्वरः: Maheshvara (Great Lord Shiva)

• एष: this very (One)

• च एव: and indeed

• प्रजाः: creatures/progeny/beings

• सर्वाः: all

• सृजति: creates/emanates

• एकः: one/alone

• स्वतेजसा: by His own tejas (radiance/power).

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the doctrine of Shiva as Time to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Maheshvara
• Kala (Time)

FAQs

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

It grounds Linga-worship in tattva: the Linga signifies the one Pati (Shiva) whose svatejas sustains, manifests, and withdraws all worlds—so worship is directed to the source beyond transient forms.

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

Shiva is identified with Kāla (Time) as Maheshvara: the single sovereign who performs both sṛṣṭi and saṃhāra. This expresses His lordship (aiśvarya) over pasha-bound existence while remaining the one supreme cause.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

A contemplative Pashupata-oriented practice is implied: meditate on Shiva as Kāla and as svatejas (self-luminous power), cultivating detachment from change and recognizing Pati as the inner governor of cosmic cycles.