Shloka 3

ध्यानयज्ञः, संसार-विष-निरूपणम्, पाशुपतयोगः, परा-अपरा विद्या, चतुर्वस्था-विचारः (अध्यायः ८६)

Devanagari script

तेषां तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा मुनीनां दीर्घसत्त्रिणाम् रुद्रेण कथितं प्राह गुहां प्राप्य महात्मनाम्

Transliteration

teṣāṃ tadvacanaṃ śrutvā munīnāṃ dīrghasattriṇām rudreṇa kathitaṃ prāha guhāṃ prāpya mahātmanām

Translation

Having heard the words of those sages who had long performed sacrificial rites, he reached the cave of the great‑souled ones and spoke what Rudra had declared, conveying Śiva’s teaching as the means by which the bound paśu (soul) turns toward Pati (the Lord).

Word by Word

• तेषाम् (teṣām): of them

• तद्वचनम् (tadvacanam): their statement/words

• श्रुत्वा (śrutvā): having heard

• मुनीनाम् (munīnām): of the sages

• दीर्घसत्त्रिणाम् (dīrgha-sattriṇām): of those engaged in long sacrificial sessions

• रुद्रेण (rudreṇa): by Rudra (Śiva)

• कथितम् (kathitam): spoken/declared

• प्राह (prāha): he said/spoke

• गुहाम् (guhām): the cave/secret abode

• प्राप्य (prāpya): having reached/attained

• महात्मनाम् (mahātmanām): of the great-souled (saints/ascetics).

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the internal episode; contextual)

Characters & Entities

• Rudra (Shiva)
• Munis (Sages)
• Mahātmas (Great-souled ascetics)

FAQs

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

It frames Śiva’s instruction (Rudra-vacana) as the authoritative guidance received by ascetics; Linga-worship is implied as an inner ‘guhā’ practice where ritual matures into direct orientation of the paśu toward Pati.

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

Śiva appears as Rudra, the revealer of liberating knowledge: his word is transmitted to great-souled sages, indicating Shiva-tattva as the supreme teacher who loosens pāśa (bondage) through upadeśa.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The verse references dīrgha-sattras (extended Vedic sacrificial observances) and implies their culmination in a more interior discipline—Śiva’s upadeśa aligned with Pāśupata orientation (turning practice inward toward realization).