Shloka 9

दारुवनलीला—नीललोहितपरीक्षा, ब्रह्मोपदेशः, अतिथिधर्मः, संन्यासक्रमः

Devanagari script

विकृतं रूपमास्थाय दिग्वासा विषमेक्षणः मुग्धो द्विहस्तः कृष्णाङ्गो दिव्यं दारुवनं ययौ

Transliteration

vikṛtaṃ rūpamāsthāya digvāsā viṣamekṣaṇaḥ mugdho dvihastaḥ kṛṣṇāṅgo divyaṃ dāruvanaṃ yayau

Translation

Le Seigneur Śiva, prenant une forme étrange et troublante—vêtu du ciel, au regard déroutant—paraissant naïf et comme égaré, à deux bras et aux membres sombres, se rendit à la forêt lumineuse de Dāruvana, afin de briser chez les sages les liens de l’orgueil et du ritualisme, et de révéler la suprématie du Pati au-delà des seuls actes extérieurs.

Word by Word

• विकृतं (vikṛtaṃ): altered/strange

• रूपम् (rūpam): form

• आस्थाय (āsthāya): having assumed/taken on

• दिग्वासा (digvāsā): sky-clad, nude

• विषमेक्षणः (viṣamekṣaṇaḥ): with uneven/uncanny gaze

• मुग्धः (mugdhaḥ): bewildered/innocent-seeming

• द्विहस्तः (dvihastaḥ): two-handed

• कृष्णाङ्गः (kṛṣṇāṅgaḥ): dark-bodied

• दिव्यम् (divyam): divine/radiant

• दारुवनम् (dāruvanam): the Daru forest (forest of deodars)

• ययौ (yayau): went.

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Daruvana sages

FAQs

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

It introduces Shiva’s deliberate disguise in Daruvana, a narrative that critiques mere external Vedic ritual pride and prepares the ground for recognizing the Linga as the transcendent sign of Pati—worshipped not only by rites but by inner surrender and right knowledge.

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

Shiva-tattva is shown as sovereign and free (svatantra): he can assume any form to liberate pashus from pasha. The “strange form” signals that the Lord is not confined to social norms or ritual categories—he acts to shatter ego and reveal the higher truth.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The verse highlights the Pashupata emphasis on breaking attachment to outer identity and ritual pride; Shiva’s ‘testing’ points toward inner purification, humility, and recognition of Pati as the true agent behind all sacrificial acts.