Shloka 17

योगान्तरायाः, औपसर्गिकसिद्धयः, परवैराग्येन शैवप्रसादः

Devanagari script

बुद्धिर्विवेचना वेद्यं बुध्यते बुद्धिरुच्यते सूक्ष्मे व्यवहिते ऽतीते विप्रकृष्टे त्वनागते

Transliteration

buddhirvivecanā vedyaṃ budhyate buddhirucyate sūkṣme vyavahite 'tīte viprakṛṣṭe tvanāgate

Translation

या विवेचनी बुद्धिः वेद्यं बुध्यते सा ‘बुद्धिः’ इति कथ्यते; सा सूक्ष्मे, व्यवहिते, अतीते, विप्रकृष्टे, अनागते च अवगच्छति।

Word by Word

• बुद्धिः (buddhiḥ): intellect, determinative knowledge

• विवेचना (vivecanā): discrimination, discernment

• वेद्यम् (vedyam): the knowable object

• बुध्यते (budhyate): is understood, is cognized

• बुद्धिः उच्यते (buddhiḥ ucyate): is called ‘buddhi’

• सूक्ष्मे (sūkṣme): in the subtle

• व्यवहिते (vyavahite): in the concealed/obstructed, separated by an interval

• अतीते (atīte): in the past

• विप्रकृष्टे (viprakṛṣṭe): in the distant/far

• तु (tu): and/indeed

• अनागते (anāgate): in the not-yet-come, future

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the teaching as part of the Purana’s tattva exposition)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It grounds Linga-worship in inner viveka: buddhi must discern the subtle Pati (Shiva) beyond gross form, so puja becomes a means to loosen pasha (bondage) rather than mere external ritual.

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

By highlighting buddhi’s reach into the subtle and hidden, it implies that Shiva-tattva is to be approached through refined discrimination—Shiva as Pati is knowable not as an object of the senses, but through clarified inner knowing aligned with dharma and yoga.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Pashupata-oriented viveka (discriminative contemplation) is implied: refining buddhi through japa, dhyana, and tattva-vichara so the pashu recognizes pasha and turns toward Pati.