Shloka 4

वासिष्ठकथनम् (आदित्य–सोमवंशवर्णनम् तथा रुद्रसहस्रनाम-प्रशंसा)

Devanagari script

यमं च यमुनां चैव राज्ञी रेवतमेव च प्रभा प्रभातम् आदित्याच् छायां संज्ञाप्यकल्पयत्

Transliteration

yamaṃ ca yamunāṃ caiva rājñī revatameva ca prabhā prabhātam ādityāc chāyāṃ saṃjñāpyakalpayat

Translation

Del dios Sol engendró a Yama y a Yamunā, y también a la reina Revatī; asimismo a Prabhā y a Prabhāta. Luego, para Āditya, formó un sustituto—Chāyā—tras instruirla para asumir su propio papel.

Word by Word

• यमम्: Yama (lord of dharma and restraint)

• च: and

• यमुनाम्: Yamunā (sacred river-goddess)

• च एव: and indeed

• राज्ञी: the queen (royal lady)

• रेवतम् एव च: Revatī as well

• प्रभा: Prabhā (radiance/personified light)

• प्रभातम्: Prabhāta (dawn/daybreak)

• आदित्याच्: from Āditya (the Sun)

• छायाम्: Chāyā (shadow, substitute form)

• संज्ञाप्य: having instructed/briefed (as Samjñā)

• अकल्पयत्: she created/arranged/appointed

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Purana to the sages of Naimisharanya; internal genealogy narrative)

Characters & Entities

• Aditya (Surya)
• Yama
• Yamuna
• Revati
• Prabha
• Prabhata
• Chhaya
• Samjna

FAQs

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

Though not a direct linga-puja instruction, it grounds the Purva-Bhaga’s creation framework: dharma (Yama) and sacred flow (Yamunā) stabilize the world where Shiva’s linga becomes the axis of worship and liberation for the bound pashu.

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

Implicitly, it shows the governed cosmos of names and forms—where roles can be assumed (Chāyā as Samjñā). In Shaiva Siddhanta this points to the pashu’s conditioned identity under māyā and karma, while Shiva as Pati remains the transcendent regulator beyond substitutions and change.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

No specific puja-vidhi is taught here; the takeaway is ethical-yogic: Yama’s presence emphasizes yama-niyama (restraint and discipline) as supportive foundations for Pashupata-oriented sadhana and Shiva-bhakti.