Shloka 58

Devanagari script

उपहस्ता ज्वरं भीमो मृगपक्षिहिरण्मयः शास्ताशेषस्य जगतो न त्वं नैवचतुर्मुखः

Transliteration

upahastā jvaraṃ bhīmo mṛgapakṣihiraṇmayaḥ śāstāśeṣasya jagato na tvaṃ naivacaturmukhaḥ

Translation

‘ഉപഹസ്താ, ജ്വരം, ഭീമൻ, മൃഗ-പക്ഷി രൂപം ധരിക്കുന്ന ഹിരണ്മയൻ—അവൻ തന്നെയാണ് ശേഷിക്കുന്ന സമസ്ത ജഗത്തിന്റെ ശാസ്താ (നിയന്താവ്). നീ അവൻ അല്ല; ചതുര്മുഖ ബ്രഹ്മനും അല്ല।’

Word by Word

• उपहस्ता (upahastā): Upahastā, a fierce epithet/name of Rudra

• ज्वरम् (jvaram): fever, the afflicting heat (also personified as Jvara)

• भीमः (bhīmaḥ): the Terrible One, awe-inspiring Rudra

• मृग-पक्षि-हिरण्मयः (mṛga-pakṣi-hiraṇmayaḥ): the golden One who takes the forms of animals and birds

• शास्ता (śāstā): ruler, governor, chastiser

• अशेषस्य (aśeṣasya): of the entire, without remainder

• जगतः (jagataḥ): of the moving world/universe

• न (na): not

• त्वम् (tvam): you

• नैव (naiva): not indeed

• चतुर्मुखः (caturmukhaḥ): the four-faced one (Brahmā).

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating a doctrinal point asserting Shiva as Pati beyond Brahma and other devas)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Brahma
• Rudra

FAQs

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

It establishes Shiva (Pati) as the sole universal governor beyond Brahmā and other powers, grounding Linga-worship in the recognition of the Supreme Lord rather than limited cosmic offices.

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

Shiva-tattva is presented as sovereign and all-pervasive—capable of assuming manifold forms (even animal and bird forms) while remaining the ultimate Śāstā, the ruler of all worlds.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The key takeaway aligns with Pāśupata orientation: discriminate Pati from all conditioned authorities (pashu-bound beings) and fix devotion and meditation on Shiva alone as the supreme ruler.