Shloka 198
Śiva-nāmānukīrtana-prastāvaḥ
Prologue to the praise of Śiva and the Upamanyu testimony
हेतुवादैर्विनिर्मुक्ते सांख्ययोगार्थदं परम् यमुपासन्ति तत्त्वज्ञा वरं तस्माद् वृणीमहे
hetuvādair vinirmukte sāṅkhyayogārthadaṃ param | yam upāsanti tattvajñā varaṃ tasmād vṛṇīmahe ||
Dijo Śakra (Indra): «Libre de disputas y de mero forcejeo lógico, el Supremo que concede a los devotos el fin más alto del Sāṅkhya y del Yoga—la liberación definitiva del sufrimiento y la realización directa de Brahman—, a quien veneran sin cesar los conocedores de la verdad: de ese mismo Mahādeva pedimos un don».
शक्र उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse elevates Mahādeva as the supreme refuge beyond mere argumentative reasoning (hetuvāda), emphasizing that true liberation—the highest end of Sāṅkhya (discriminative knowledge) and Yoga (disciplined practice)—is attained through truth-knowledge and devoted worship rather than intellectual disputation alone.
Śakra (Indra), speaking in praise, identifies Mahādeva as the one revered by realized sages and as the bestower of the highest spiritual end; on that basis, he declares that he (and his side) will seek a boon from Mahādeva.