Shloka 2

Adhyaya 34: भस्ममहात्म्यं—अग्नीषोमात्मक-शिवतत्त्वं तथा पाशुपतव्रतप्रशंसा

Devanagari script

कृतमेतद्वहत्यग्निर् भूयो लोकसमाश्रयात् असकृत्त्वग्निना दग्धं जगत् स्थावरजङ्गमम्

Transliteration

kṛtametadvahatyagnir bhūyo lokasamāśrayāt asakṛttvagninā dagdhaṃ jagat sthāvarajaṅgamam

Translation

Having accomplished that act, Agni blazes forth again, taking refuge in the worlds; and repeatedly, by that very fire, the entire universe—both the immovable and the moving—is burned up. In this cyclic burning, the pashu-bound cosmos is withdrawn by Kāla’s flame under the sovereignty of Pati, Śiva.

Word by Word

• कृतम्: having been done/accomplished

• एतत्: this (act/event)

• वहति: carries/bears/sets in motion

• अग्निः: fire (Agni)

• भूयः: again, once more

• लोक-समाश्रयात्: by resorting to/depending upon the worlds (as its locus)

• असकृत्: repeatedly, many times

• तु: indeed/and

• अग्निना: by fire

• दग्धम्: burned, consumed

• जगत्: the world/universe

• स्थावर: immovable beings (plants, mountains, etc.)

• जङ्गमम्: moving beings (animals, humans, etc.)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Agni

FAQs

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

It frames the cosmos as cyclic and perishable—burned again and again—so Linga worship turns the devotee from transient lokas toward the imperishable Pati (Śiva) represented by the Linga.

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

Though Agni is named, the teaching aligns with Shiva-tattva as the supreme governor of time and dissolution: the world of pashus and pashas is periodically withdrawn under the higher sovereignty of Pati.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

A Pāśupata-oriented takeaway is vairāgya (dispassion): contemplating repeated cosmic burning supports inner renunciation, steadiness in japa/dhyāna on Śiva, and non-attachment to worldly supports (loka-āśraya).