Shloka 87

अध्याय ८२ — व्यपोहनस्तवः (पापव्यपोहन-स्तोत्रम्)

Devanagari script

वृतो नन्दादिभिर् नित्यं मातृभिर् मखमर्दनः शिवार्चनरतो नित्यं स मे पापं व्यपोहतु

Transliteration

vṛto nandādibhir nityaṃ mātṛbhir makhamardanaḥ śivārcanarato nityaṃ sa me pāpaṃ vyapohatu

Translation

नन्द्यादिगणैर्नित्यं मातृभिश्च परिवृतः। मखमर्दनः शिवपूजारतो नित्यं स मे पापं व्यपोहतु॥

Word by Word

• वृतः (vṛtaḥ): surrounded/attended

• नन्दादिभिः (nandādibhiḥ): by Nandin and others (Śiva’s attendants)

• नित्यं (nityaṃ): always

• मातृभिः (mātṛbhiḥ): by the Mothers (Mātṛkās/Divine Mothers)

• मखमर्दनः (makhamardanaḥ): the destroyer of the sacrifice (He who crushes ritual pride)

• शिवार्चनरतः (śivārcanarataḥ): intent on/absorbed in worship of Śiva

• सः (saḥ): he/that Lord

• मे (me): my

• पापं (pāpaṃ): sin/impurity

• व्यपोहतु (vyapohatu): may remove/drive away

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating a Shiva-stuti within the Linga Purana discourse)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Nandin
• Matrikas

FAQs

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

It frames Śivārcana (including Liṅga-pūjā) as a direct means of pāpa-kṣaya: by remembering Śiva as ever engaged in His own worship and attended by His śakti-forces (Mothers) and gaṇas, the devotee seeks purification through His grace.

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

Śiva is implied as Pati—the sovereign Lord beyond bondage—who can “drive away” impurity. His being surrounded by Nandin and the Mātṛkās indicates His lordship over gaṇas and śaktis, and “Makha-mardana” points to His supremacy over mere ritualism when it becomes ego-driven.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Śivārcana (worship of Śiva/Liṅga) is highlighted as the core practice; in a Shaiva Siddhanta reading, it functions as a purifying discipline that weakens pāśa (bondage) for the paśu (soul) by the anugraha (grace) of Pati.