Shloka 172

वासिष्ठकथनम् (आदित्य–सोमवंशवर्णनम् तथा रुद्रसहस्रनाम-प्रशंसा)

Devanagari script

यः पठेच्छृणुयाद् वापि श्रावयेद्ब्राह्मणानपि अश्वमेधसहस्रस्य फलं प्राप्नोति वै द्विजाः

Transliteration

yaḥ paṭhecchṛṇuyād vāpi śrāvayedbrāhmaṇānapi aśvamedhasahasrasya phalaṃ prāpnoti vai dvijāḥ

Translation

ഹേ ദ്വിജന്മാരേ! ആരെങ്കിലും ഇതു പാരായണം ചെയ്യുകയോ കേൾക്കുകയോ ബ്രാഹ്മണന്മാർക്ക് കേൾപ്പിക്കുകയോ ചെയ്താൽ, അവൻ നിശ്ചയമായി സഹസ്ര അശ്വമേധഫലം പ്രാപിക്കുന്നു।

Word by Word

• यः (yaḥ): whoever

• पठेत् (paṭhet): would recite/read

• शृणुयात् (chṛṇuyāt): would hear/listen

• वा अपि (vā api): or even

• श्रावयेत् (śrāvayet): would cause to be heard/teach/recite for others

• ब्राह्मणान् अपि (brāhmaṇān api): even Brahmins

• अश्वमेध-सहस्रस्य (aśvamedha-sahasrasya): of a thousand Aśvamedha horse-sacrifices

• फलम् (phalam): fruit/merit

• प्राप्नोति (prāpnoti): attains/obtains

• वै (vai): indeed/truly

• द्विजाः (dvijāḥ): O twice-born (Brahmins and other initiated classes)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Brahmins

FAQs

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

It elevates śravaṇa (hearing) and pāṭha (recitation) of Śiva-centered scripture as a powerful upāsanā that yields merits surpassing grand Vedic rites, indicating that devotion to the Liṅga’s Lord is itself a supreme offering.

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

By equating scriptural hearing/recitation with immense sacrificial merit, the verse implies Śiva-tattva as the supreme Pati whose grace is accessed through bhakti and jñāna-oriented practices, freeing the paśu from pāśa without dependence on costly external ritual alone.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The primary practice is śravaṇa–kīrtana/pāṭha: hearing, reciting, and facilitating recitation for Brahmins—an accessible devotional discipline aligned with Shaiva siddhānta-style grace (anugraha) rather than elaborate yajña.