Shloka 18
देवस्तुतिः—शिवस्य परब्रह्मत्वं, मायाशक्तिः, कर्मफलप्रदातृत्वं च
Devas’ Hymn: Śiva as Parabrahman, Māyā-Śakti, and Giver of Karmic Fruits
शर्वाय क्षितिरूपाय सदा सुरभिणे नमः । रुद्रायाग्निस्वरूपाय महातेजस्विने नमः
śarvāya kṣitirūpāya sadā surabhiṇe namaḥ | rudrāyāgnisvarūpāya mahātejasvine namaḥ
Salutations to Śarva, whose form is the Earth—ever fragrant and life-sustaining. Salutations to Rudra, whose form is Fire—of immense splendour and blazing spiritual radiance.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Rudra
FAQs
The verse teaches that Śiva, as Pati (the Supreme Lord), pervades the cosmos as the very substance of the elements—Earth’s sustaining fragrance and Fire’s transforming radiance—so devotion recognizes Him both as immanent in nature and transcendent in power.
In Saguna worship, the Liṅga is revered as the all-pervading sign of Śiva; this verse supports that vision by identifying Śiva with tangible cosmic principles (Earth and Fire), helping the devotee see the Liṅga as the presence of Śiva within all manifest forms.
Offerings aligned with the elements are implied: meditate on Śiva in the heart as mahātejas (great inner light) while offering a lamp (agni-dīpa) and fragrant substances (gandha) to the Liṅga, repeating a Śiva mantra such as “Om Namaḥ Śivāya.”