Shloka 186
Śiva-nāmānukīrtana-prastāvaḥ
Prologue to the praise of Śiva and the Upamanyu testimony
अपि कीट: पतड़्जो वा भवेयं शड्कराज्ञया । न तु शक्र त्वया दत्त त्रलोक्यमपि कामये
api kīṭaḥ pataṅgo vā bhaveyaṃ śaṅkarājñayā | na tu śakra tvayā dattaṃ trailokyam api kāmaye ||
ഹേ ശക്രാ! ശങ്കരന്റെ ആജ്ഞയാൽ ഞാൻ കീടമോ പതംഗമോ ആയാലും മതി; എന്നാൽ നിനക്കാൽ ദത്തമായ ത്രിലോകാധിപത്യം പോലും ഞാൻ ആഗ്രഹിക്കുന്നില്ല.
वासुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
True allegiance and fulfillment lie in accepting the will of the highest revered authority (here Śaṅkara), not in pursuing power or cosmic sovereignty offered by others; humility and devotion outweigh worldly or even heavenly dominion.
Vāsudeva addresses Śakra (Indra) and rejects the offer of trailokya-rājya (rule over the three worlds), declaring that even a lowly rebirth would be acceptable if ordained by Śaṅkara, thereby emphasizing devotion and disinterest in externally granted power.