Shloka 20

वंशानुवर्णनम् — सात्वतवंशः, स्यमन्तक-प्रसङ्गः, कृष्णावतारः, शिवप्रसादः (पाशुपतयोगः)

Devanagari script

श्वफल्कः काशिराजस्य सुतां भार्यामवाप सः गान्दिनीं नाम काश्यो हि ददौ तस्मै स्वकन्यकाम्

Transliteration

śvaphalkaḥ kāśirājasya sutāṃ bhāryāmavāpa saḥ gāndinīṃ nāma kāśyo hi dadau tasmai svakanyakām

Translation

श्वफल्कः काशिराजस्य सुतां भार्यामवाप सः। काश्यः स्वकन्यकां तस्मै गान्दिनीं नाम दत्तवान्॥

Word by Word

• श्वफल्कः (śvaphalkaḥ): Śvaphalka

• काशिराजस्य (kāśirājasya): of the King of Kāśī

• सुताम् (sutām): daughter

• भार्याम् (bhāryām): as wife

• अवाप (avāpa): obtained/took

• सः (saḥ): he

• गान्दिनीम् (gāndinīm): Gāndinī

• नाम (nāma): by name

• काश्यः (kāśyaḥ): the Kāśya/King of Kāśī

• हि (hi): indeed

• ददौ (dadau): gave

• तस्मै (tasmai): to him

• स्वकन्यकाम् (sva-kanyakām): his own maiden daughter

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Śvaphalka
• King of Kāśī (Kāśirāja/Kāśya)
• Gāndinī

FAQs

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

It situates Shiva’s later teachings and Linga-based worship within a dharmic social order—kings, lineages, and lawful marriage—showing how worldly duties (pravṛtti-dharma) can support the soul (paśu) in moving toward Shiva (Pati) through right conduct.

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

Indirectly: by emphasizing dharma and lineage, it reflects Shaiva Siddhanta’s view that Shiva-tattva as Pati is transcendent, while the bound soul (paśu) progresses through purified action and social duty toward grace (anugraha), which culminates in Shiva-oriented worship and liberation.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

No explicit puja-vidhi or Pāśupata Yoga practice is stated; the verse highlights gṛhastha-dharma (householder order) through marriage, which in Shaiva framing becomes a foundation for later disciplines such as vrata, dāna, and Linga-puja.