Shloka 36

Adhyaya 75: Nishkala–Sakala Shiva, Twofold Linga, and the Supremacy of Dhyana-Yajna

Devanagari script

स स्वेच्छया शिवः साक्षाद् देव्या सार्धं स्थितः प्रभुः संतारणार्थं च शिवः सदसद्व्यक्तिवर्जितः

Transliteration

sa svecchayā śivaḥ sākṣād devyā sārdhaṃ sthitaḥ prabhuḥ saṃtāraṇārthaṃ ca śivaḥ sadasadvyaktivarjitaḥ

Translation

By his own free will, Shiva—the Lord himself—stood manifest, together with the Goddess. And for the sake of ferrying beings across bondage, Shiva abides beyond the categories of existent and non-existent, and beyond the merely manifest and unmanifest.

Word by Word

• स (saḥ): he

• स्वेच्छया (svecchayā): by his own will, freely

• शिवः (śivaḥ): Shiva

• साक्षात् (sākṣāt): directly, in person, manifestly

• देव्या (devyā): with the Goddess

• सार्धं (sārdhaṃ): together

• स्थितः (sthitaḥ): stood, remained present

• प्रभुः (prabhuḥ): the Lord, sovereign

• संतारणार्थम् (saṃtāraṇārtham): for the purpose of deliverance, to ferry across

• च (ca): and

• शिवः (śivaḥ): Shiva

• सत्-असत् (sat-asat): being and non-being

• व्यक्तिः (vyakti): manifestation, particularization

• वर्जितः (varjitaḥ): devoid of, transcending

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Devi (Shakti/Parvati)

FAQs

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

It frames Shiva’s manifest presence (sākṣāt) with Shakti as an act of grace for saṃtāraṇa—deliverance—supporting the idea that the Linga is a worshipful, accessible form of the transcendent Pati who liberates the pashu from pasha.

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

Shiva is simultaneously present and yet beyond conceptual extremes—neither confined to sat/asat nor to vyakta/avyakta—indicating a supreme reality that can appear by will while remaining ontologically transcendent.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The verse points to grace-centered liberation: worship and contemplation of Shiva as Pati (often via Linga-puja with awareness of Shiva-Shakti) as the inner support for Pashupata-oriented sadhana aimed at crossing bondage.