Shloka 25
युद्धप्रस्थान-वर्णनम्
Departure to the Battlefield and the Śaiva Overlordship over the Devas
स्तंभांतो वीक्षितो धात्रा तत्र साक्ष्यहमच्युत । इत्युक्त्वा केतकं तत्र प्रणनाम पुनः नः । असत्यमपि शस्तं स्यादापदीत्यनुशासनम्
staṃbhāṃto vīkṣito dhātrā tatra sākṣyahamacyuta | ityuktvā ketakaṃ tatra praṇanāma punaḥ naḥ | asatyamapi śastaṃ syādāpadītyanuśāsanam
സ്തംഭത്തിന്റെ അറ്റം കണ്ട ധാതാവ് (ബ്രഹ്മാവ്) അവിടെ പറഞ്ഞു— “ഹേ അച്യുത (വിഷ്ണു), ഞാൻ സാക്ഷി.” ഇങ്ങനെ പറഞ്ഞ് അവിടെ തന്നെ കേതകീ പുഷ്പത്തെ വീണ്ടും പ്രണാമം ചെയ്തു. അപ്പോൾ ഈ ഉപദേശം പ്രസ്ഫുടമായി— “ആപത്തിൽ അസത്യവും പോലും അംഗീകര്യമായി തോന്നാം.”
Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimisharanya)
Tattva Level: pasha
Shiva Form: Liṅgodbhava
Sthala Purana: Brahmā falsely claims to have seen the end of the pillar and presents Ketakī as supporting witness before Viṣṇu; this becomes the basis for Ketakī’s later disqualification in liṅga-pūjā in many retellings.
Significance: Functions as a moral-ritual charter: worship must be grounded in satya; deceit obstructs anugraha and leads to ritual exclusion motifs (Ketakī taboo).
Cosmic Event: Crisis of truth in the Liṅgodbhava contest; dharma distorted under ‘āpadi’ rationalization
FAQs
It highlights how ego can distort dharma: even exalted beings may justify wrongdoing, but in Shaiva understanding the Linga (Shiva as Pati) stands beyond such claims, revealing that liberation comes through humility and truth-oriented devotion.
The pillar episode centers on the Linga as Shiva’s manifest sign (saguṇa upāsanā leading to nirguṇa insight). The attempt to establish “witness” through Ketakī underscores that Linga-worship demands inner integrity, not merely outward assertion or status.
Practice satya (truthfulness) alongside Linga-pūjā: recite the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” with a vow of honesty, and offer worship with pure intention (śuddha-bhāva), avoiding offerings or speech rooted in deceit.