Shloka 22

स्वेच्छाविग्रहसंभव-प्रतिष्ठाफलवर्णनम् (विविधशिवमूर्तिप्रतिष्ठा, लोक-फल, शिवसायुज्य)

Devanagari script

नृत्यन्तं देवदेवेशं शैलजासहितं प्रभुम् सहस्रबाहुं सर्वज्ञं चतुर्बाहुम् अथापि वा

Transliteration

nṛtyantaṃ devadeveśaṃ śailajāsahitaṃ prabhum sahasrabāhuṃ sarvajñaṃ caturbāhum athāpi vā

Translation

They beheld the Supreme Lord—the God of gods—dancing with Śailajā (Pārvatī) at His side: the all-knowing Sovereign, appearing with a thousand arms, or else in a four-armed form as well.

Word by Word

• नृत्यन्तम्: dancing

• देवदेवेशम्: the Lord of the gods

• शैलजासहितम्: accompanied by Śailajā (daughter of the mountain, Pārvatī)

• प्रभुम्: the Sovereign Lord

• सहस्रबाहुम्: thousand-armed

• सर्वज्ञम्: omniscient, all-knowing

• चतुर्बाहुम्: four-armed

• अथापि वा: or alternatively, even so / also in another form

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati

FAQs

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

It emphasizes that the worshipped Linga signifies the one Pati (Shiva) who can be realized through many theophanies—dancing, thousand-armed, or four-armed—yet remains the single omniscient Lord beyond form.

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

Shiva is portrayed as Devadeveśa and Sarvajña—supreme and all-knowing—manifesting diverse forms for grace, while His essence remains the sovereign Pati who governs and liberates the pashu from pāśa.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

A key takeaway is dhyāna (contemplative visualization): meditating on Shiva together with Shakti (Śailajā-sahita) and recognizing His many-armed iconography as symbols of omnipotent action in Pāśupata-oriented worship.