Shloka 146

ध्यानयज्ञः, संसार-विष-निरूपणम्, पाशुपतयोगः, परा-अपरा विद्या, चतुर्वस्था-विचारः (अध्यायः ८६)

Devanagari script

तमोविद्यापदच्छन्नं चित्रं यत्पदमव्ययम् सत्त्वशक्तिं समास्थाय शिवमभ्यर्चयेद्द्विजाः

Transliteration

tamovidyāpadacchannaṃ citraṃ yatpadamavyayam sattvaśaktiṃ samāsthāya śivamabhyarcayeddvijāḥ

Translation

തമസ്സിന്റെയും അവിദ്യയുടെയും നിലയാൽ മറഞ്ഞിരുന്നാലും ആ അവ്യയ പദം അത്ഭുതമായി തോന്നുന്നു. അതിനാൽ, ഹേ ദ്വിജന്മാരേ, സത്ത്വശക്തിയെ ആശ്രയിച്ച് ശിവനെ അഭ്യർചിക്കുവിൻ.

Word by Word

• तमो: darkness/tamas

• विद्या: knowledge (here, misconstrued/obscured cognition)

• पदच्छन्नम्: covered/veiled by a ‘pada’ or state

• चित्रम्: wondrous/variegated/mysterious

• यत्: which/that

• पदम्: state/abode/Reality

• अव्ययम्: imperishable/unchanging

• सत्त्वशक्तिम्: the power of sattva (purity, lucidity)

• समास्थाय: having taken refuge in/establishing oneself in

• शिवम्: Śiva (the auspicious Lord, Pati)

• अभ्यर्चयेत्: should worship with reverence

• द्विजाः: O twice-born (brāhmaṇa/initiated).

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva-puja principles to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It frames Linga-puja as not merely external ritual but an inner shift to sattva—clarity and purity—so the devotee can approach the imperishable Shiva-pada beyond tamas and ignorance.

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

Shiva is implied as the avyaya (imperishable) Reality that seems ‘wondrous’ and hidden to the tamasic mind; as Pati, he is approached through sattvic power that reveals rather than obscures.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

A sattva-based discipline: establishing oneself in sattva-shakti (purification, clarity, right intention) as the qualifying inner yoga for effective Shiva-archana (reverential worship).