Shloka 17

सूर्यरश्मिस्वरूपकथनम्

Surya-Rashmi Svarupa Kathana

Devanagari script

यथा प्रभाकरो दीपो गृहमध्ये ऽवलम्बितः पार्श्वत ऊर्ध्वम् अधश्चैव तमो नाशयते समम्

Transliteration

yathā prabhākaro dīpo gṛhamadhye 'valambitaḥ pārśvata ūrdhvam adhaścaiva tamo nāśayate samam

Translation

यथा प्रभाकरो दीपो गृहमध्येऽवलम्बितः । पार्श्वत ऊर्ध्वमधश्चैव तमो नाशयते समम् ॥

Word by Word

• yathā: just as

• prabhākaraḥ: light-making, radiant

• dīpaḥ: lamp

• gṛha-madhye: in the middle of the house

• avalambitaḥ: suspended, hung

• pārśvataḥ: from the sides, laterally

• ūrdhvam: upward

• adhaḥ: downward

• ca eva: and indeed

• tamaḥ: darkness, ignorance

• nāśayate: destroys, dispels

• samam: evenly, equally

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the teaching to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It frames Linga-upasana as installing Shiva-consciousness at the ‘center’ of one’s life; like a lamp placed centrally, devotion and jnana oriented to the Linga remove ignorance (tamas) comprehensively.

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

Shiva is implied as the inner illuminator (Pati) whose jnana-light dispels the pashu’s avidya and the bonds (pasha) that arise from it, leaving no ‘region’ of the being untouched.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The verse points to antar-dhyana (inner placement) central to Pashupata Yoga—steadying awareness on Shiva/Linga within—so that ignorance is removed in all states (higher, lower, and lateral movements of the mind).