Shloka 99

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

Devanagari script

प्राप्य माहेश्वरं योगं रुद्रलोकाय ते गताः एकविंशे पुनः प्राप्ते परिवर्ते क्रमागते

Transliteration

prāpya māheśvaraṃ yogaṃ rudralokāya te gatāḥ ekaviṃśe punaḥ prāpte parivarte kramāgate

Translation

മാഹേശ്വരയോഗം പ്രാപിച്ച് അവർ രുദ്രലോകത്തിലേക്ക് പോയി. പിന്നെ ഇരുപത്തൊന്നാം പരിവർത്തം ക്രമമായി വീണ്ടും വന്നപ്പോൾ, അത് തന്റെ നിയതക്രമത്തിൽ പുനരാവർത്തിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• प्राप्य: having attained

• माहेश्वरं: pertaining to Maheśvara (Śiva), of Maheśvara

• योगं: the yoga (discipline/union)

• रुद्रलोकाय: to Rudra-loka, the realm of Rudra

• ते: they

• गताः: went/attained (a state)

• एकविंशे: in the twenty-first

• पुनः: again

• प्राप्ते: having arrived/when it had come

• परिवर्ते: in the cycle/turning (of time, kalpa-parivarta)

• क्रमागते: arrived according to sequence, in proper order

Speaker

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

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Rudra
• Maheśvara

FAQs

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

It links Śiva-oriented practice (Maheśvara-yoga, typically supported by Linga-bhakti and Śiva-upāsanā) to a concrete fruit: ascent to Rudra’s realm, showing how devotion and yogic discipline toward Pati (Śiva) elevate the Pashu beyond ordinary karmic destinations.

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

Śiva appears as Pati—the sovereign Lord whose realm (Rudraloka) is attained through Maheśvara-yoga—implying that liberation and higher states are governed by alignment with Śiva-tattva rather than mere ritual merit, and that time-cycles proceed under the cosmic order he upholds.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Maheśvara-yoga (Śiva-centered yoga), aligned with Pāśupata orientation: disciplining the self (Pashu) toward union with Pati, loosening Pāśa (bondage) and culminating in higher loka-attainment such as Rudraloka.