Shloka 138
निमीलिताभ्यां नेत्राभ्यां बलाद देवो महेश्वर: । ललाटे नेत्रमसृजत् तेन तऋयक्ष: स उच्यते,उन भगवान् महेश्वरने दोनों नेत्रोंकी बंद करके अपने ललाटमें बलपूर्वक तीसरे नेत्रकी सृष्टि की, इसलिये उन्हें त्रिनेत्र कहते हैं
nimīlitābhyāṁ netrābhyāṁ balād devo maheśvaraḥ | lalāṭe netram asṛjat tena triyakṣaḥ sa ucyate ||
Vyāsa said: The god Maheśvara, forcibly closing both his eyes, brought forth an eye upon his forehead. Therefore he is called ‘Triyakṣa’—the Three-Eyed Lord. In the narrative, this epithet underscores Śiva’s awe-inspiring power of insight and restraint: when ordinary sight is withdrawn, a higher, discerning vision arises, associated with the capacity to check excess and to uphold cosmic order.
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights Śiva’s epithet ‘Three-Eyed’ as a symbol of higher discernment: when ordinary perception is restrained, a superior vision—linked with control, judgment, and the maintenance of order—manifests.
Vyāsa explains why Maheśvara is called Triyakṣa: by closing his two eyes and generating an additional eye on his forehead, he becomes ‘the three-eyed one.’