Shloka 98

अध्याय ९६: शरभ-प्रादुर्भावः, नृसिंह-दर्पशमनम्, विष्णोः शिवस्तुतिः, फलश्रुति

Devanagari script

तद्वक्त्रशेषमात्रान्तं कृत्वा सर्वस्य विग्रहम् शुक्तिशित्यं तदा मङ्गं वीरभद्रः क्षणात्ततः

Transliteration

tadvaktraśeṣamātrāntaṃ kṛtvā sarvasya vigraham śuktiśityaṃ tadā maṅgaṃ vīrabhadraḥ kṣaṇāttataḥ

Translation

Lalu Vīrabhadra seketika mereduksi seluruh wujudnya hingga tinggal sisa wajah semata, dan serta-merta membuatnya pucat dan remuk—kesombongan yajña pun hancur.

Word by Word

• tad-: that

• vaktra: face, mouth

• śeṣa: remainder

• mātra: merely, only

• antaṃ: up to the limit, ending in

• kṛtvā: having made, having rendered

• sarvasya: of the whole, of the entire

• vigraham: bodily form

• śukti-śityam: whitened like a shell, made pallid

• tadā: then

• maṅgam: broken, crippled, ruined (state of being shattered)

• vīrabhadraḥ: Vīrabhadra

• kṣaṇāt: in an instant

• tataḥ: thereafter, then

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Vīrabhadra
• Shiva

FAQs

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

It underscores that Shiva (Pati) is not controlled by external ritual alone; when yajña becomes ego-driven, it collapses. Linga worship emphasizes surrender, purity of intent, and Shiva’s grace (anugraha) rather than pride in performance.

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

Through Vīrabhadra—Shiva’s empowered force—it shows Shiva-tattva as the sovereign regulator of dharma: He can instantly dissolve embodied power and status, revealing the Pāśa (bondage of pride) that binds the Pashu (individual soul).

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The takeaway is restraint of ego (ahaṅkāra-tyāga) and inner consecration: ritual must be joined with bhakti and Pashupata-oriented discipline—humility, devotion to Shiva, and alignment with dharma—otherwise it becomes mere bondage-producing karma.