Shloka 16

Devanagari script

मृत्योर् भीतो ऽहम् अचिराच् छिरसा चाभिवन्द्य तम् मृतवत्पतितं साक्षात् पितरं च पितामहम्

Transliteration

mṛtyor bhīto 'ham acirāc chirasā cābhivandya tam mṛtavatpatitaṃ sākṣāt pitaraṃ ca pitāmaham

Translation

മരണഭീതിയാൽ ഞാൻ ഉടൻ തലകുനിച്ച് അവരെ വന്ദിച്ചു—എന്റെ കണ്ണുമുന്നിൽ മരിച്ചവരെപ്പോലെ വീണുകിടന്ന പിതാവിനെയും പിതാമഹനെയും.

Word by Word

• mṛtyoḥ: of death

• bhītaḥ: afraid

• aham: I

• acirāt: quickly/without delay

• chirasā: with (my) head

• ca: and

• abhivandya: having saluted/bowed to

• tam: him

• mṛtavat: as if dead

• patitam: fallen

• sākṣāt: directly/before (my) eyes/in person

• pitaram: father

• ca: and

• pitāmaham: grandfather

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating an embedded account within the Purva-Bhaga narrative)

Characters & Entities

• Pitṛs (ancestors)

FAQs

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

The verse frames the devotee’s mṛtyu-bhaya (fear of death) and immediate humility; in Linga worship this becomes the inner posture of śaraṇāgati—turning from worldly supports to Pati (Shiva) as the ultimate protector beyond death.

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

By highlighting death-fear and helplessness, it implicitly contrasts the perishable condition of the pashu with Shiva-tattva as Pati—uncaused, deathless consciousness—toward whom reverence and surrender naturally arise when worldly relations appear powerless.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Pitṛ-vandana (bowing to father and grandfather) is foregrounded as dharmic conduct; yogically, it indicates vinaya (humility) and saṃskāra-purification—preconditions for Pāśupata-oriented devotion and steadiness in Shiva-upāsanā.