Shloka 16

जम्बूद्वीपस्य नववर्षविभागः रुद्रस्य अष्टक्षेत्रसन्निधिः नाभि-ऋषभ-भरतकथा

Devanagari script

रुद्रक्षेत्रे मृताश्चैव जङ्गमाः स्थावरास् तथा भक्ताः प्रासंगिकाश्चापि तेषु क्षेत्रेषु यान्ति ते

Transliteration

rudrakṣetre mṛtāścaiva jaṅgamāḥ sthāvarās tathā bhaktāḥ prāsaṃgikāścāpi teṣu kṣetreṣu yānti te

Translation

രുദ്രക്ഷേത്രത്തിൽ മരിക്കുന്നവർ—ജംഗമങ്ങളായാലും സ്ഥാവരങ്ങളായാലും—ഭക്തരും, വെറും സാഹചര്യബന്ധം കൊണ്ടുള്ളവരും, എല്ലാവരും ആ പവിത്ര ശൈവക്ഷേത്രങ്ങളിലേക്കു പ്രാപിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• rudrakṣetre: in Rudra’s sacred field (Rudra-kṣetra)

• mṛtāḥ: those who have died

• ca eva: and indeed

• jaṅgamāḥ: moving beings (living creatures)

• sthāvarāḥ: immovable beings (plants/trees, fixed entities)

• tathā: likewise

• bhaktāḥ: devotees (of Śiva)

• prāsaṅgikāḥ api: even incidental/associated persons (connected by circumstance)

• teṣu kṣetreṣu: to those sacred fields/holy regions

• yānti: go/attain

• te: they

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Rudra

FAQs

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

It teaches the kṣetra-prabhāva (power of Shiva’s sacred domain): proximity to Rudra’s field—even at death—supports a Shaiva destiny, reinforcing pilgrimage and Linga-centered devotion as grace-bearing supports for the bound soul (paśu).

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

Shiva appears as Pati whose anugraha (grace) operates through his kṣetra: even beings without deliberate sādhana may be carried toward auspicious states by contact with his sphere, indicating his sovereignty over bondage (pāśa) and release.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Kṣetra-yātrā (pilgrimage) and residence/service in Rudra’s holy area are implied as potent Shaiva practices; the verse emphasizes sacred-space sādhanā rather than a specific Pāśupata yoga technique.