Shloka 21

Adhyaya 70: आदिसर्गः—महत्-अहङ्कार-तन्मात्रा-भूतसृष्टिः, ब्रह्माण्डावरणम्, प्रजासर्गः, त्रिमूर्ति-शैवाधिष्ठानम्

Devanagari script

साक्षात्सर्वं विजानाति महात्मा तेन चेश्वरः यस्माज्ज्ञानानुगश्चैव प्रज्ञा तेन स उच्यते

Transliteration

sākṣātsarvaṃ vijānāti mahātmā tena ceśvaraḥ yasmājjñānānugaścaiva prajñā tena sa ucyate

Translation

സാക്ഷാത് സർവ്വതത്ത്വങ്ങളും അറിയുന്ന മഹാത്മാവിനെ അതുകൊണ്ടുതന്നെ ‘ഈശ്വരൻ’ എന്നു വിളിക്കുന്നു. അവന്റെ പ്രജ്ഞ സത്യജ്ഞാനത്തെ അനുഗമിക്കുന്നതിനാൽ അവൻ പ്രജ്ഞാവാൻ എന്നു പ്രസിദ്ധം॥

Word by Word

• sākṣāt: directly, in immediate realization

• sarvam: all (tattvas/realities)

• vijānāti: knows distinctly

• mahātmā: the great-souled one

• tena: by that (reason/quality)

• ca: and

• īśvaraḥ: Lord/master (one with lordly mastery)

• yasmāt: because

• jñāna-anugaḥ: following/grounded in true knowledge

• ca eva: indeed

• prajñā: higher discernment, lucid wisdom

• tena: therefore

• saḥ: he

• ucyate: is called/said

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimisharanya; internal teaching context on jñāna and prajñā)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It shifts Linga worship from mere outer rite to inner realization: the true worshipper becomes ‘īśvara-like’ through direct knowledge of tattvas, making the Linga a symbol of awakened, immediate knowing.

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

Shiva-tattva is presented as immediate, all-comprehending awareness and lordly mastery (īśvaratva); in Shaiva terms, Pati is the one whose knowledge is direct and complete, and whose prajñā is perfectly aligned with jñāna.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The verse emphasizes jñāna-yukta sādhanā central to Pāśupata Yoga—cultivating prajñā (clear discernment) that follows jñāna—so that practice culminates in direct realization rather than only external pūjā.