Shloka 37

अविमुक्तक्षेत्रमाहात्म्य — काशी-वाराणसी में मोक्ष, लिङ्ग-तीर्थ-मानचित्र, और उपासना-विधि

Devanagari script

सूत उवाच देव्यास्तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा देवदेवो वरप्रभुः आघ्राय वदनाम्भोजं तदाह गिरिजां हसन्

Transliteration

sūta uvāca devyāstadvacanaṃ śrutvā devadevo varaprabhuḥ āghrāya vadanāmbhojaṃ tadāha girijāṃ hasan

Translation

सूत उवाच—देव्यास्तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा देवदेवो वरप्रभुः। आघ्राय वदनाम्भोजं तदाह गिरिजां हसन्॥

Word by Word

• sūta uvāca: Sūta said

• devyāḥ: of the Goddess (Pārvatī)

• tad-vacanam: those words

• śrutvā: having heard

• deva-devaḥ: the God of gods (Śiva)

• vara-prabhuḥ: the Lord who grants boons / supreme master

• āghrāya: having smelled / inhaled the fragrance of

• vadana-ambhojam: the lotus-face

• tadā: then

• āha: said

• girijām: to Girijā (Pārvatī, daughter of the mountain)

• hasan: smiling

Speaker

Suta

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati (Girija)

FAQs

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

It frames Shiva as the intimate, gracious Pati who responds to Shakti with tenderness; in Linga worship this translates to approaching the Linga not as an abstract symbol alone, but as the living Lord whose anugraha (grace) is personally accessible.

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

Shiva-tattva is shown as vara-prabhu—sovereign and boon-giving—yet also gentle and relational, expressing compassionate mastery rather than distant power, a key Shaiva Siddhanta emphasis on Pati’s grace toward bound souls (paśu).

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

No specific external puja-vidhi is prescribed; the takeaway is inner bhava—devotional intimacy and receptivity—supporting Pashupata-oriented practice where transformation begins through the Lord’s grace responding to sincere address.