Shloka 38

Indra’s Account: Shilada’s Tapas and Shiva’s Manifestation as Nandi

Devanagari script

एष नन्दी यतो जातो यज्ञभूमौ हिताय मे

Transliteration

eṣa nandī yato jāto yajñabhūmau hitāya me

Translation

“ഇവൻ നന്ദി; യജ്ഞഭൂമിയിൽ തന്നെയാണ് ജനിച്ചത്—എന്റെ ഹിതത്തിനും ഈ യജ്ഞത്തിന്റെ രക്ഷയ്ക്കുമായി।”

Word by Word

• एषः: this

• नन्दी: Nandī (Śiva’s gaṇa, sacred bull)

• यतः: from which/whereupon

• जातः: was born/manifested

• यज्ञ-भूमौ: on the sacrificial ground (yajña-site)

• हिताय: for the good/welfare

• मे: of me/mine

Speaker

Shiva (as recalled within Suta’s narration)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Nandi

FAQs

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

It links Śiva’s worship to the sanctity of the yajña-bhūmi, showing that Śiva establishes protective divine agency (Nandī) to preserve right worship and ensure the rite bears fruit.

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

Śiva-tattva is shown as Pati—the sovereign Lord whose grace manifests as orderly protection of dharma; Nandī arises as an expression of Śiva’s will to safeguard sacred action and its purity.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The verse highlights yajña-protection and ritual integrity—an essential foundation for Śaiva pūjā-vidhi—implying that disciplined worship under Śiva’s guardianship supports the pashu’s movement toward liberation from pāśa.