Shloka 125
Śiva-nāmānukīrtana-prastāvaḥ
Prologue to the praise of Śiva and the Upamanyu testimony
नास्ति पुत्र पयो5रण्ये सुरभीगोत्रवर्जिते
nāsti putra payo 'raṇye surabhī-gotra-varjite |
Vāsudeva berkata: “Wahai anakku, di rimba ini tiada susu sama sekali, kerana ia tidak mempunyai keturunan Surabhī (lembu ilahi)—tiada lembu di sini. Maka bagi kami para resi yang berdiam di antara sungai, gua, gunung, dan pelbagai tempat penyeberangan suci, teguh dalam tapa dan ulangan japa mantra, perlindungan tertinggi tidak lain ialah Dewa Śaṅkara.”
वासुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
Material supports may be absent in austere settings, so one should rely on spiritual refuge—here, devotion to Śaṅkara—while maintaining disciplined practice (tapas and japa).
Vāsudeva addresses a ‘son’ and explains that the forest lacks cows and therefore milk; he then frames the sages’ life of austerity in wild sacred landscapes, emphasizing that their ultimate support is Lord Śaṅkara.