Shloka 23

Adhyaya 34: भस्ममहात्म्यं—अग्नीषोमात्मक-शिवतत्त्वं तथा पाशुपतव्रतप्रशंसा

Devanagari script

व्यपगतमदमोहमुक्तरागस् तमोरजोदोषविवर्जितस्वभावः परिभवमिदमुत्तमं विदित्वा पशुपतियोगपरो भवेत्सदैव

Transliteration

vyapagatamadamohamuktarāgas tamorajodoṣavivarjitasvabhāvaḥ paribhavamidamuttamaṃ viditvā paśupatiyogaparo bhavetsadaiva

Translation

Casting off pride and delusion, freed from attachment, and established in a nature untouched by the faults of tamas and rajas, one should know the supreme worthlessness of worldly rank; and always become devoted to Pāśupata Yoga, seeking Pati—Lord Śiva—who alone releases the paśu (soul) from the pāśa (bond).

Word by Word

• vyapagata: gone away/removed

• mada: pride/arrogance

• moha: delusion

• mukta: freed

• rāga: attachment/passion

• tamas: inertia/darkness

• rajas: agitation/passion

• doṣa: defect/impurity

• vivarjita: devoid of

• svabhāvaḥ: intrinsic nature/disposition

• paribhavam: contempt/disparagement (of worldly honor) / seeing worldly esteem as insignificant

• idam: this

• uttamam: supreme/highest

• viditvā: having known/understood

• paśupati: the Lord of beings (Shiva as Pati)

• yoga-paraḥ: devoted to yoga/intent on the discipline

• bhavet: should become

• sadaiva: always/at all times

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva’s Pāśupata-oriented teaching within the Purva-Bhaga context)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva (Pashupati)

FAQs

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

It frames Linga worship as inseparable from inner purification—dropping pride, delusion, and attachment—so the devotee approaches Shiva (Pashupati) with the fitness required for true grace and liberation.

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

By naming Shiva as Pashupati (Pati), it implies Shiva-tattva as the sovereign Lord who transcends the guṇas and is the liberator of the paśu (individual soul) from pāśa (bondage).

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Pāśupata Yoga is highlighted—an always-on discipline of vairāgya and guṇa-purification that supports (and deepens) Shiva-upāsanā, including Linga-centered devotion.