Shloka 22

ध्यानयज्ञः, संसार-विष-निरूपणम्, पाशुपतयोगः, परा-अपरा विद्या, चतुर्वस्था-विचारः (अध्यायः ८६)

Devanagari script

गर्भे दुःखान्यनेकानि योनिमार्गे च भूतले कौमारे यौवने चैव वार्द्धके मरणे ऽपि वा

Transliteration

garbhe duḥkhānyanekāni yonimārge ca bhūtale kaumāre yauvane caiva vārddhake maraṇe 'pi vā

Translation

கர்ப்பத்தில் பல துயரங்கள்; பிறப்புப் பாதையிலும் பூமியிலும் மீண்டும் துயரம். குழந்தைப் பருவம், இளமை, முதுமை, மரண நேரம்கூட—துயரம் நீடிக்கும்; உடல்-பந்தத்தின் பாசத்தில் கட்டுண்ட பசு-உயிர் பதி சிவனைச் சரணடையும் வரை।

Word by Word

• गर्भे: in the womb

• दुःखानि: sufferings

• अनेकानि: many

• योनिमार्गे: in the passage of the womb/birth-canal

• च: and

• भूतले: on the earth/world

• कौमारे: in childhood

• यौवने: in youth

• च एव: and indeed

• वार्द्धके: in old age

• मरणे: in death/at the time of dying

• अपि: even

• वा: or

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

By listing suffering from womb to death, the verse creates vairāgya (dispassion) and motivates the paśu (individual soul) to seek refuge in Śiva through liṅga-pūjā as a means to loosen pāśa (bondage) and move toward liberation.

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

Śiva-tattva is implied as Pati—the transcendent Lord beyond the cycle of birth, aging, and death—toward whom the suffering-bound paśu must turn to be freed from embodied limitation.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The verse primarily highlights viveka and vairāgya (discernment and dispassion), the foundation for Pāśupata-oriented sādhana; in practice this supports disciplined Śiva-bhakti such as liṅga-arcana, mantra-japa, and contemplative detachment from bodily identity.