Shloka 18

जम्बूद्वीपस्य नववर्षविभागः रुद्रस्य अष्टक्षेत्रसन्निधिः नाभि-ऋषभ-भरतकथा

Devanagari script

दृष्ट्वा हृदि महादेवम् अष्टक्षेत्रनिवासिनः सुखिनः सर्वदा तेषां स एवेह परा गतिः

Transliteration

dṛṣṭvā hṛdi mahādevam aṣṭakṣetranivāsinaḥ sukhinaḥ sarvadā teṣāṃ sa eveha parā gatiḥ

Translation

Having beheld Mahādeva within the heart, those who dwell in the eight sacred kṣetras remain ever joyful; for them, He alone is the supreme refuge and final goal—even here, in this very life.

Word by Word

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen/realized

• हृदि: in the heart

• महादेवम्: Mahādeva (Śiva, the Supreme Lord/Pati)

• अष्टक्षेत्र-निवासिनः: dwellers in the eight holy fields (aṣṭa-kṣetra residents/pilgrims)

• सुखिनः: happy, content

• सर्वदा: always

• तेषाम्: for them

• सः एव: He alone

• इह: here, in this world/this very life

• परा गतिः: highest course/goal, supreme liberation (parama-gati)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva (Mahadeva)

FAQs

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

It shifts the fruit of kṣetra-based Linga devotion from mere pilgrimage to inner realization: the true result is hṛd-gata Mahādeva-darśana, where Śiva (Pati) becomes the devotee’s para-gati.

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

Śiva is presented as immanent—directly knowable in the heart—and also transcendent as the sole supreme goal (parā gatiḥ), indicating Him as Pati who grants release from pāśa to the paśu.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

A Pāśupata-oriented synthesis: outer kṣetra-sevā (residing/serving in sacred Śiva-kṣetras) culminating in inner dhyāna and darśana of Mahādeva within the heart.