Shloka 22

ब्रह्मकृत-ईशानस्तवः तथा विश्वरूपदेवी-प्रकृतिरहस्योपदेशः

Devanagari script

किंनामगोत्रा कस्येयं किंवीर्या चापि कर्मतः तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा देवदेवो वृषध्वजः

Transliteration

kiṃnāmagotrā kasyeyaṃ kiṃvīryā cāpi karmataḥ tasya tadvacanaṃ śrutvā devadevo vṛṣadhvajaḥ

Translation

“Qual é o seu nome e linhagem? A quem Ela pertence? Qual é o seu poder, e quais são os seus feitos?” Ao ouvir tais palavras, o Deus dos deuses—Śiva, cujo estandarte traz o Touro—atendeu para responder.

Word by Word

• kim: what?

• nāma: name

• gotrā: lineage/clan

• kasya: of whom/to whom

• iyam: this (woman)

• kim-vīryā: of what power/valor

• ca api: and also

• karmataḥ: by deeds/according to actions

• tasya: of him/of that one

• tad-vacanam: those words/speech

• śrutvā: having heard

• deva-devaḥ: God of gods

• vṛṣa-dhvajaḥ: the Bull-bannered (Śiva)

Speaker

Suta (outer narration), reporting Shiva (Vṛṣadhvaja) reacting within the inner dialogue

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It shows Śiva’s dharmic discernment: beings are understood by nāma, gotra, vīrya, and especially karma—an emphasis that Linga-pūjā is not mere formality but must align the pashu (soul) toward purity of action and intention under Pati (Śiva).

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

Śiva appears as Deva-deva and Vṛṣadhvaja—sovereign and all-knowing—yet he engages the world through orderly inquiry, revealing that Shiva-tattva governs through dharma and karmic truth while remaining the supreme Pati beyond bondage.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The key takeaway is karmataḥ—assessment by deeds—supporting a Pāśupata-oriented ethic where pūjā, vrata, and yoga are validated by transformed conduct, not only by external observance.