Shloka 142

Devadāru (Dāruvana) Forest: The Delusion of Ritual Pride, the Liṅga Crisis, and the Teaching of Jñāna–Pāśupata Yoga

Devanagari script

यद् वा कौपीनवसनः स्याद् वैकवसनो मुनिः / वेदाभ्यासरतो विद्वान् ध्यायेत् पशुपतिं शिवम्

Transliteration

yad vā kaupīnavasanaḥ syād vaikavasano muniḥ / vedābhyāsarato vidvān dhyāyet paśupatiṃ śivam

Translation

അല്ലെങ്കിൽ കൗപീനം ധരിച്ചവനായിരിക്കാം, അല്ലെങ്കിൽ ഏകവസ്ത്രധാരിയായ മുനിയായിരിക്കാം; വേദാഭ്യാസത്തിൽ നിഷ്ഠനായ പണ്ഡിതൻ പശുപതി ശിവനെ ധ്യാനിക്കണം.

Word by Word

• यत्: if/when
• यत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययप्रयोग (यत् = 'if/when' conditional particle)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक निपात (disjunctive)

• कौपीनवसनः: one wearing a loincloth
• कौपीनवसनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौपीन + वसन (प्रातिपदिक-द्वय)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (कौपीनं वसनं यस्य/कौपीनवसनः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन

• स्यात्: should be/may be
• स्यात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; Parasmaipada

• वैकवसनः: one wearing bark-garment
• वैकवसनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैक + वसन (प्रातिपदिक-द्वय)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (वैकं वसनं यस्य), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; apposition to मुनिः

• मुनिः: sage
• मुनिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन

• वेदाभ्यासरतः: devoted to Vedic study
• वेदाभ्यासरतः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वेद + अभ्यास + रत (प्रातिपदिक-त्रय)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (वेदाभ्यासे रतः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; विशेषण of मुनिः

• विद्वान्: a learned man
• विद्वान्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्वस् (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त-स्वरूप)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; 'learned' (nom. sg. of विद्वस्)

• ध्यायेत्: should meditate upon
• ध्यायेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ध्यै (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; Parasmaipada

• पशुपतिम्: Paśupati (Lord of beings)
• पशुपतिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पशुपति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन

• शिवम्: Śiva
• शिवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; apposition to पशुपतिम्

Speaker

Lord Kūrma (as the teacher of dharma and yoga, in the Iśvara-gītā style teaching)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Characters & Entities

• Kurma
• Shiva
• Pashupati
• Veda
• Muni

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

How does this verse explain the nature of the Supreme Self (Atman)?

By prescribing meditation on Paśupati Śiva as the contemplative goal, the verse points to the one Lord as the inner ruler worthy of dhyāna—implying that realization is gained by turning the mind from externals to the indwelling divine principle.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

It highlights dhyāna (focused meditation) supported by tapas-like simplicity (minimal clothing, ascetic restraint) and veda-abhyāsa (disciplined recitation/study), a classic Pāśupata-leaning regimen where purity of life and scriptural practice stabilize concentration on Śiva.

How does this verse depict the relationship between Shiva and Vishnu?

With Lord Kūrma instructing meditation on Śiva as Paśupati, the Purāṇa models Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis: the Vishnu-avatāra teacher endorses Śiva-upāsanā, presenting devotion and yoga as converging paths rather than sectarian opposites.