Shloka 43

ध्यानयज्ञः, संसार-विष-निरूपणम्, पाशुपतयोगः, परा-अपरा विद्या, चतुर्वस्था-विचारः (अध्यायः ८६)

Devanagari script

कीटपक्षिमृगाणां च पशूनां गजवाजिनाम् दृष्टम् एवासुखं तस्मात् त्यजतः सुखमुत्तमम्

Transliteration

kīṭapakṣimṛgāṇāṃ ca paśūnāṃ gajavājinām dṛṣṭam evāsukhaṃ tasmāt tyajataḥ sukhamuttamam

Translation

虫や鳥、鹿などの獣において—さらには象や馬においてさえ—このことは明らかに見られる。すなわち世の享楽はついには苦へと帰する。ゆえに、そのような快楽を捨てる者には最上の幸福が生ずる—パシュがパーシャを離れ、パティたる主シヴァへと向かうことから生まれる至福である。

Word by Word

• kīṭa: insect

• pakṣi: bird

• mṛga: wild animal/deer

• -āṇām: of (gen. pl.)

• ca: and

• paśūnām: of cattle/beasts (also ‘bound beings’ by implication)

• gaja: elephant

• vājinām: of horses

• dṛṣṭam: seen/observed

• eva: indeed/clearly

• asukham: suffering/non-happiness

• tasmāt: therefore/from that reason

• tyajataḥ: for one who renounces (gen. sg.)

• sukham: happiness

• uttamam: highest/supreme.

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the teaching to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It frames Linga worship as a shift from sense-driven pleasure (which ends in duḥkha) to devotion and inner detachment, making the worship a means for the paśu to approach Pati (Śiva) beyond pāśa (bondage).

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

Śiva-tattva is implied as the ‘uttama sukha’—a superior, non-sensory bliss attained when the bound soul stops chasing transient enjoyments and turns toward the Lord as the liberating Pati.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Vairāgya as a core limb of Pāśupata-oriented sādhana: renouncing sense-pleasures to stabilize bhakti, japa, and meditative absorption on the Linga as the liberating presence of Śiva.