Shloka 23

Yudhiṣṭhira’s Lament and Kṛṣṇa’s Rudra-Cosmogony Explanation (सौप्तिक पर्व, अध्याय १७)

Devanagari script

कि कृतं सलिले शर्व चिरकालस्थितेन ते । किमर्थ चेदमुत्पाद्य लिड्ढ भूमौ प्रवेशितम्‌,“रुद्रदेव! आपने दीर्घकालतक जलमें स्थित रहकर कौन-सा कार्य किया है? और इस लिंगको उत्पन्न करके किसलिये पृथ्वीपर डाल दिया है?”

Transliteration

ki kṛtaṃ salile śarva cirakālasthitena te | kimartha cedam utpādya liḍḍhaṃ bhūmau praveśitam ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: “O Śarva (Rudra), what deed have you accomplished by remaining in the waters for so long? And for what purpose, after bringing forth this liṅga, have you cast it down and caused it to enter the earth?”

Word by Word

• {'ki': 'what?', 'kṛtam': 'done

• the deed performed', 'salile': 'in water

• in the waters', 'śarva': 'Śarva

• an epithet of Rudra/Śiva', 'cirakāla': 'a long time', 'sthitena': 'by one who has remained

• having stayed', 'te': 'by you

• your', 'kimartham': 'for what purpose? why?', 'idam': 'this', 'utpādya': 'having produced

• having brought forth', 'liṅgam': 'liṅga

• a sacred object', 'bhūmau': 'on/in the earth

• into the ground', 'praveśitam': 'made to enter

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Śarva (Rudra/Śiva)
• salila (waters)
• liṅga
• bhūmi (earth)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames a reverent inquiry into divine action: prolonged austerity or withdrawal (staying in the waters) is understood to culminate in a purposeful cosmic act, and sacred manifestations (like the liṅga) are not random but carry intent within dharma and the maintenance of order.

What is happening in the narrative?

The narrator reports a question addressed to Rudra (Śarva): after remaining in the waters for a long time, what has he achieved, and why has he produced a liṅga and caused it to enter the earth—setting up an explanation of Rudra’s purpose and the significance of the act.