Shloka 31

अन्धक-हिरण्याक्ष-प्रसङ्गः, वराहावतारः, दंष्ट्राभूषणं च

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मणश् च तथान्येषां देवानामपि लीलया विभुरङ्गविभागेन भूषितो न यदि प्रभुः

Transliteration

brahmaṇaś ca tathānyeṣāṃ devānāmapi līlayā vibhuraṅgavibhāgena bhūṣito na yadi prabhuḥ

Translation

If the Sovereign Lord—the all-pervading One—were not, in His divine play, adorned through the differentiated functions and offices of Brahmā and the other gods, then those very deities would have no power to act at all; for their capacities arise only from Pati, the Lord who apportions cosmic roles.

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मणः (brahmaṇaḥ): of Brahmā

• च (ca): and

• तथा (tathā): likewise

• अन्येषाम् (anyeṣām): of others

• देवानाम् (devānām): of the gods

• अपि (api): even/also

• लीलया (līlayā): by divine play

• विभुः (vibhuḥ): the all-pervading Lord

• अङ्ग-विभागेन (aṅga-vibhāgena): by division of limbs/parts i.e., by allocating functions and roles

• भूषितः (bhūṣitaḥ): adorned, invested, empowered

• न (na): not

• यदि (yadi): if

• प्रभुः (prabhuḥ): the Lord, sovereign.

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the puranic teaching; verse expresses the devas’ doctrinal praise of Shiva as Pati)

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Devas
• Shiva

FAQs

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

It grounds Linga worship in the principle that Shiva (Pati) alone empowers all divine offices; worship of the Linga is worship of the source behind Brahma and the other devas’ capacities.

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

Shiva is Vibhu and Prabhu—the all-pervading sovereign—who, by līlā, distributes differentiated functions to gods; their power is dependent, while his lordship is independent.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The implied practice is Pashupata-oriented inner recollection (smaraṇa) that all agency belongs to Pati; in puja, offerings to the Linga are made with the understanding that all deities’ powers return to Shiva as their source.