Shloka 18

अध्याय ८२ — व्यपोहनस्तवः (पापव्यपोहन-स्तोत्रम्)

Devanagari script

शुभावत्याः सखी शान्ता पञ्चचूडा वरप्रदा सृष्ट्यर्थं सर्वभूतानां प्रकृतित्वं गताव्यया

Transliteration

śubhāvatyāḥ sakhī śāntā pañcacūḍā varapradā sṛṣṭyarthaṃ sarvabhūtānāṃ prakṛtitvaṃ gatāvyayā

Translation

静謐なる御方——シュバーヴァティーの友、パンチャチューダー（五髻の女神）、福徳を授ける者——不滅の女神は、一切衆生の創造のためにプラクリティ（根本自然）の位を受け入れた。

Word by Word

• शुभावत्याः (śubhāvatyāḥ): of Śubhāvatī

• सखी (sakhī): friend/companion

• शान्ता (śāntā): peaceful, tranquil

• पञ्चचूडा (pañcacūḍā): ‘five-crested’ (a divine epithet)

• वरप्रदा (varapradā): giver of boons

• सृष्ट्यर्थम् (sṛṣṭyartham): for the purpose of creation

• सर्वभूतानाम् (sarvabhūtānām): of all beings

• प्रकृतित्वम् (prakṛtitvam): the status/nature of Prakṛti (primordial Nature)

• गता (gatā): having assumed/entered

• अव्यया (avyayā): imperishable, undecaying (Goddess/Śakti).

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the creation account to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Shakti
• Prakriti
• Panchacuda
• Shubhavati

FAQs

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

It frames creation as proceeding through Śiva’s Śakti becoming Prakṛti; Linga worship therefore honors Śiva as Pati and Śakti as the manifesting power behind the cosmos, not merely a physical symbol.

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

Śiva-tattva is implied as the transcendent, imperishable ground (Pati) whose inseparable Śakti initiates manifestation by assuming Prakṛti—showing Śiva as both beyond creation and sovereign over it through Śakti.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

No specific rite is prescribed in this line; the takeaway is contemplative: in Pāśupata-oriented sādhanā, one meditates on Śiva as Pati and on Śakti-Prakṛti as the mechanism of bondage and experience, cultivating dis-identification from Prakṛti to move toward liberation.