Shloka 53

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

Devanagari script

रथे सुसंस्थितं देवं चतुराननसारथिम् तदाकारतया सो ऽपि गत्वा शिवपुरं सुखी

Transliteration

rathe susaṃsthitaṃ devaṃ caturānanasārathim tadākāratayā so 'pi gatvā śivapuraṃ sukhī

Translation

Beholding the Divine Lord seated firmly upon the chariot, with the four-faced Brahmā as His charioteer, he too assumed that very form and, proceeding to Śiva’s celestial city, became blissful—freed from the bonds that constrain the paśu as it draws near to Pati.

Word by Word

• rathe: on the chariot

• su-saṃsthitam: well-seated, firmly established

• devam: the God, the Deity

• catur-ānana-sārathim: having the four-faced (Brahmā) as charioteer

• tad-ākāratayā: by taking that form/likeness

• saḥ api: he also

• gatvā: having gone

• śiva-puram: to Śiva’s city (Śivaloka)

• sukhī: happy, blissful

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Brahma

FAQs

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

It presents the fruit (phala) of approaching Shiva: by Shiva’s grace the devotee attains Shiva’s abode and a Shiva-like state, implying that Linga-upasana culminates in liberation from pasha and entry into Shiva’s sphere (Śiva-pura).

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

Shiva is shown as the supreme Pati whom even Brahmā serves (as charioteer), indicating Shiva’s transcendence over the creator-function and His capacity to confer sādr̥śya (likeness) and bliss upon the paśu.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The verse emphasizes transformative darśana and bhakti—inner assimilation to Shiva’s form (tad-ākāratā), a yogic sign of grace-aligned contemplation that culminates in liberation and Shiva-loka attainment.