Shloka 56

प्रलय-तत्त्वलयः, नीललोहित-रुद्रः, अष्टमूर्तिस्तवः, एवं ब्रह्मणो वैराग्यम्

Devanagari script

स्पृशन्कराभ्यां ब्रह्माणं सुखाभ्यां स सुरारिहा श्रीशङ्कर उवाच मां विद्धि परमात्मानम् एनां मायामजामिति

Transliteration

spṛśankarābhyāṃ brahmāṇaṃ sukhābhyāṃ sa surārihā śrīśaṅkara uvāca māṃ viddhi paramātmānam enāṃ māyāmajāmiti

Translation

स्पृशन्कराभ्यां ब्रह्माणं सुखाभ्यां स सुरारिहा। श्रीशङ्कर उवाच—मां विद्धि परमात्मानम्, एनां मायामजामिति॥

Word by Word

• स्पृशन्: touching

• कराभ्याम्: with (his) two hands

• ब्रह्माणम्: Brahmā

• सुखाभ्याम्: with auspicious/pleasant (hands)

• सः: he

• सुरारिहा: destroyer of the enemies of the gods

• श्रीशङ्करः: Śrī Śaṅkara (Shiva)

• उवाच: said

• माम्: me

• विद्धि: know (understand)

• परमात्मानम्: as the Supreme Self (Paramātman)

• एनाम्: this (feminine, referring to śakti)

• मायाम्: Māyā (veiling/projecting power)

• अजाम्: unborn, beginningless

• इति: thus.

Speaker

Shiva (Śrī Śaṅkara)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Brahma
• Maya

FAQs

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

It grounds Linga-upāsanā in tattva-jñāna: the worshipper (paśu) approaches the Linga as Pati—Śiva, the Paramātman—while recognizing māyā as the beginningless power that veils reality and sustains worldly appearance.

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

Śiva self-identifies as Paramātman—supreme, inner ruler and transcendent Lord—distinct from māyā. This aligns with a Shaiva Siddhānta-style distinction between Pati (Śiva) and the power that conditions experience (māyā/pāśa).

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The verse points to viveka (discriminative knowledge) central to Pāśupata-oriented sādhanā: during puja and meditation on the Linga, discern Śiva as the supreme Self and see māyā as the binding principle to be transcended through devotion and insight.