Shloka 19

प्रलय-तत्त्वलयः, नीललोहित-रुद्रः, अष्टमूर्तिस्तवः, एवं ब्रह्मणो वैराग्यम्

Devanagari script

सर्गं विसृज्य चात्मानम् आत्मन्येव नियोज्य च संहृत्य प्राणसञ्चारं पाषाण इव निश्चलः

Transliteration

sargaṃ visṛjya cātmānam ātmanyeva niyojya ca saṃhṛtya prāṇasañcāraṃ pāṣāṇa iva niścalaḥ

Translation

Having released outward creation and re-established the self in the Self alone, he withdrew the movement of the life-breath. Like a stone he remained utterly unmoving—absorbed in the stillness of Pati, beyond the bonds of pāśa that bind the paśu.

Word by Word

• सर्गम् (sargam): creation, outward projection

• विसृज्य (visṛjya): having released, let go

• च (ca): and

• आत्मानम् (ātmānam): the self/individual awareness

• आत्मन्येव (ātmanyeva): in the Self alone

• नियोज्य (niyojya): having fixed, established

• च (ca): and

• संहृत्य (saṃhṛtya): having withdrawn, gathered back

• प्राणसञ्चारम् (prāṇasañcāram): the movement/circulation of prāṇa (life-breath)

• पाषाणः (pāṣāṇaḥ): a stone

• इव (iva): like

• निश्चलः (niścalaḥ): motionless, unwavering.

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the yogic state described in the Purva-Bhaga narrative)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It points to the inner Linga: worship culminates in pratyāhāra and steady absorption, where the devotee withdraws prāṇa and rests the mind in the Self—mirroring Shiva’s own transcendental stillness.

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

Shiva-tattva is shown as niścala (immovable) and self-established—Pati who remains untouched by the outward play of sṛṣṭi, and who can withdraw all movements back into pure consciousness.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

A Pāśupata-oriented inner discipline: releasing outward projections, fixing awareness in the Self (ātma-niyoga), and withdrawing prāṇa’s circulation—akin to advanced prāṇāyāma leading to deep dhyāna/samādhi.