Shloka 2

Pāśupata-vrata Māhātmya: Dvādaśa-Liṅga Mahāvrata, Month-wise Dravya, and Pūjā-krama

Devanagari script

वक्तुमर्हसि चास्माकं यथापूर्वं त्वया श्रुतम् सूत उवाच पुरा सनत्कुमारेण पृष्टः शैलादिरादरात्

Transliteration

vaktumarhasi cāsmākaṃ yathāpūrvaṃ tvayā śrutam sūta uvāca purā sanatkumāreṇa pṛṣṭaḥ śailādirādarāt

Translation

“તમે પહેલાં જેમ સાંભળ્યું હતું તેમ જ અમને કહેવું યોગ્ય છે.” સૂત બોલ્યા—પ્રાચીન કાળમાં સનત્કુમારે આદરપૂર્વક પૂછતાં શૈલાદિએ (ઉત્તર આપ્યો)।

Word by Word

• वक्तुम् (vaktum): to speak, to explain

• अर्हसि (arhasi): you are fit/ought

• च (ca): and

• अस्माकम् (asmākam): to us

• यथा-पूर्वम् (yathāpūrvam): as before, in the earlier manner

• त्वया (tvayā): by you

• श्रुतम् (śrutam): heard

• सूत उवाच (sūta uvāca): Sūta said

• पुरा (purā): formerly, long ago

• सनत्कुमारेण (sanatkumāreṇa): by Sanatkumāra

• पृष्टः (pṛṣṭaḥ): asked, questioned

• शैलादिः (śailādiḥ): Śailādi (a named interlocutor)

• आदरात् (ādarāt): with respect, reverently

Speaker

Suta

Characters & Entities

• Suta
• Sanatkumara
• Sailadi

FAQs

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

It establishes the authority of transmission (śravaṇa-paramparā): teachings on the Liṅga and Śiva are conveyed faithfully “as previously heard,” grounding Liṅga-upāsanā in an authenticated lineage of hearing and telling.

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

Indirectly, it frames Śiva-tattva as a revelatory truth accessed through disciplined inquiry and faithful recitation—knowledge of Pati (Śiva) that liberates the paśu from pāśa is approached through reverent questioning and received teaching.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Śravaṇa (listening to sacred teaching) and praśna (reverent inquiry) are highlighted as foundational practices—preconditions for deeper Pāśupata-oriented understanding and subsequent Liṅga-pūjā or yogic discipline.