Shloka 164

उमामहेश्वरव्रतं—पञ्चाक्षरमन्त्रस्य माहात्म्यं, न्यासः, जपविधिः, सदाचारः, विनियोगः

Devanagari script

यो गुरुः स शिवः प्रोक्तो यः शिवः स गुरुः स्मृतः यथा शिवस् तथा विद्या यथा विद्या तथा गुरुः

Transliteration

yo guruḥ sa śivaḥ prokto yaḥ śivaḥ sa guruḥ smṛtaḥ yathā śivas tathā vidyā yathā vidyā tathā guruḥ

Translation

ഗുരുവെന്നത് ശിവനെയെന്ന് പ്രഖ്യാപിച്ചിരിക്കുന്നു; ശിവനെയേ ഗുരുവെന്ന് സ്മരിക്കുന്നു. ശിവൻ എങ്ങനെയോ അങ്ങനെയാണ് വിദ്യ; വിദ്യ എങ്ങനെയോ അങ്ങനെയാണ് ഗുരു.

Word by Word

• yo: who

• guruḥ: the Guru/spiritual preceptor

• saḥ: that (one)

• śivaḥ: Śiva, the auspicious Lord (Pati)

• proktaḥ: is proclaimed/declared

• yaḥ: who

• smṛtaḥ: is remembered/held in tradition

• yathā: as/in the manner that

• śivaḥ: Śiva

• tathā: so/likewise

• vidyā: (liberating) knowledge, Śiva-vidyā

• guruḥ: the Guru (as the embodied conduit of Śiva-śakti and upadeśa)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimisharanya; teaching conveyed as Shaiva doctrine)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Guru
• Vidyā

FAQs

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

It establishes that approaching the Guru is approaching Śiva Himself; thus Linga-pūjā and mantra-upāsanā become effective through Śiva-given instruction (upadeśa) transmitted by the Guru.

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

Śiva-tattva is presented as identical with liberating Knowledge (vidyā): the Pati (Lord) reveals Himself as wisdom that cuts the pāśa (bondage) of the paśu (soul), and that revelation is embodied in the Guru.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Guru-sevā and dīkṣā/upadeśa-centered practice is implied: receiving Śiva-vidyā (mantra and jñāna) from the Guru as the foundation for Pāśupata-oriented sādhana and Śiva-pūjā.