Shloka 38

आचार्य-धर्मलक्षण-श्रद्धाभक्तिप्राधान्यं तथा लिङ्गे ध्यान-पूजाविधानसंकेतः

Adhyaya 10

Devanagari script

देव्यै देवेन मधुरं वाराणस्यां पुरा द्विजाः अविमुक्ते समासीना रुद्रेण परमात्मना

Transliteration

devyai devena madhuraṃ vārāṇasyāṃ purā dvijāḥ avimukte samāsīnā rudreṇa paramātmanā

Translation

ഹേ ദ്വിജന്മാരേ, പുരാതനകാലത്ത് വാരാണസിയിലെ അവിമുക്ത ക്ഷേത്രഭൂമിയിൽ പരമാത്മാവായ രുദ്രദേവൻ ദേവിയോടു മധുരവും പാവനവുമായ ഉപദേശം അരുളിച്ചെയ്തു।

Word by Word

• देव्यै: to the Goddess (Devī)

• देवेन: by the God (the Lord)

• मधुरम्: sweet, gracious, pleasing (teaching)

• वाराणस्याम्: in Vārāṇasī (Kāśī)

• पुरा: formerly, in ancient times

• द्विजाः: O twice-born (brāhmaṇas/sages)

• अविमुक्ते: in Avimukta (the never-abandoned sacred kṣetra)

• समासीना: seated, abiding

• रुद्रेण: by Rudra (Śiva)

• परमात्मना: by the Supreme Self (Paramātman).

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Rudra
• Shiva
• Devi
• Parvati
• Varanasi
• Avimukta

FAQs

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

It situates Shiva’s teaching authority in Avimukta (Kāśī), a kṣetra where the Pati (Shiva) is said to never abandon the Pashu (souls), making the place and its worship—especially of Shiva/Linga—directly linked with liberation-oriented grace.

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

Shiva is named Rudra yet identified as Paramātman, indicating the Shaiva Siddhanta vision of the Lord as transcendent Pati—supreme consciousness who instructs and uplifts, while remaining immanent in a sacred field like Avimukta.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The verse foregrounds upadeśa (initiatory teaching) from Shiva to Devī in Avimukta—implying a Pāśupata-oriented path where mantra, kṣetra-sevā, and Shiva-centered contemplation dismantle pāśa (bondage) for the pashu (individual soul).