Shloka 144

ध्यानयोगेन रुद्रदर्शनम् — रुद्रावतार-परिवर्तक्रमः, लकुली (कायावतार), पाशुपतयोगः, लिङ्गार्चन-निष्ठा

Devanagari script

स देवदेवो भगवांस् तव लिङ्गार्चने रतः तव प्रणामपरमः कथं देवो ह्यभूत्प्रभुः

Transliteration

sa devadevo bhagavāṃs tava liṅgārcane rataḥ tava praṇāmaparamaḥ kathaṃ devo hyabhūtprabhuḥ

Translation

もしその福徳なる者—神々の中の神—が汝のリンガ礼拝に没頭し、汝への五体投地を最高の行としていたのなら、どうして自らの権能で主となり得ようか。（真のプラブフはただパティのみであり、他の神々の偉大さはそのリンガ礼拝によってこそ成る。）

Word by Word

• स (sa): he/that one

• देवदेवः (devadevaḥ): God of gods

• भगवांस् (bhagavān): the Blessed Lord

• तव (tava): your

• लिङ्ग-अर्चने (liṅgārcane): in the worship of the Liṅga

• रतः (rataḥ): devoted/engaged

• तव (tava): your

• प्रणाम-परमः (praṇāma-paramaḥ): one for whom prostration is supreme

• कथम् (katham): how?

• देवः (devaḥ): a god

• हि (hi): indeed

• अभूत् (abhūt): became/was

• प्रभुः (prabhuḥ): lord/master

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating an internal theological point within the discourse on Linga-archana)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It asserts that even the highest devas gain their status through devotion to Shiva’s Liṅga; liṅgārcana is presented as the decisive marker of true spiritual authority grounded in Pati’s grace.

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

Shiva is implied as Pati—the ultimate Prabhu—before whom even “devadeva” figures bow; all other lordship is derivative, dependent on surrender and worship of Shiva’s Liṅga.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Liṅga-archana (ritual worship) joined with praṇāma (humble surrender), a core Shaiva discipline aligned with Pāśupata orientation where the paśu is freed from pāśa through devotion and divine anugraha (grace).