Shloka 18

Mādhayameśvara-māhātmya — Vyāsa at Mandākinī and the Pāśupata Vision

Devanagari script

तत्क्षणादेव विमलं संभूतं ज्योतिरुत्तमम् / लीनास्तत्रैव ते विप्राः क्षणादन्तरधीयत

Transliteration

tatkṣaṇādeva vimalaṃ saṃbhūtaṃ jyotiruttamam / līnāstatraiva te viprāḥ kṣaṇādantaradhīyata

Translation

Naquele mesmo instante surgiu uma radiância imaculada, a mais excelente. Nessa própria luz, aqueles sábios brâmanes foram absorvidos e, num momento, desapareceram da vista.

Word by Word

• तत्-क्षणात्: from that very moment
• तत्-क्षणात्: Kāla-apādāna (काल-अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + क्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular; समास: तस्मिन् क्षणे (at that moment)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha/Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; particle of emphasis (निश्चयार्थक)

• विमलम्: pure/spotless
• विमलम्: Viśeṣaṇa of ज्योतिः (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विमल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; agrees with ज्योतिः (neuter)

• सम्भूतम्: arisen/manifested
• सम्भूतम्: Kriyā (predicate participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-√भू (धातु)
• Form: क्त (Past passive participle), Neuter, Nominative, Singular; उपसर्ग: सम्-

• ज्योतिः: light/splendour
• ज्योतिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्योतिस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• उत्तमम्: supreme/excellent
• उत्तमम्: Viśeṣaṇa of ज्योतिः (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular; superlative sense; agrees with ज्योतिः

• लीनाः: merged/absorbed
• लीनाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ली (धातु)
• Form: क्त (Past passive participle), Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb of place (देशवाचक)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; emphasis

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• विप्राः: brahmins/sages
• विप्राः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• क्षणात्: in a moment/from a moment
• क्षणात्: Kāla-apādāna (काल-अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular

• अन्तरधीयत: disappeared/vanished
• अन्तरधीयत: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अन्तर्-√धा (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/अनद्यतनभूत), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; ‘it disappeared/was concealed’

Speaker

Suta (narrator) describing the event to the assembled sages

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• viprāḥ (sages)
• jyotiḥ (supreme light)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

How does this verse explain the nature of the Supreme Self (Atman)?

By portraying the “stainless supreme light” into which the sages merge, the verse points to the Atman/Brahman as pure consciousness—formless, luminous, and capable of absorbing all limited identities.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The key idea is laya (absorption): through sustained yogic contemplation and inner purity, the mind dissolves into the supreme radiance, culminating in antardhāna—transcending ordinary perception.

How does this verse depict the relationship between Shiva and Vishnu?

Rather than emphasizing sectarian form, it emphasizes the shared puranic principle of one supreme, stainless jyoti—compatible with both Shaiva (Ishvara as light) and Vaishnava (Narayana as supreme) contemplative theology.