Shloka 27

ब्रह्मकृत-ईशानस्तवः तथा विश्वरूपदेवी-प्रकृतिरहस्योपदेशः

Devanagari script

शतं शतसहस्राणाम् अतीता ये स्वयंभुवः पुरस्तात्तव देवेश तच्छृणुष्व महामते

Transliteration

śataṃ śatasahasrāṇām atītā ye svayaṃbhuvaḥ purastāttava deveśa tacchṛṇuṣva mahāmate

Translation

దేవేశా! మీకు ముందుగా వందల వేల స్వయంభువులు (స్వయంగా జనించిన ప్రజాపతులు) గతించారు. మహామతీ! ఆ వృత్తాంతాన్ని వినుము.

Word by Word

• शतम्: a hundred

• शतसहस्राणाम्: of hundreds of thousands

• अतीताः: have passed/elapsed

• ये: who

• स्वयंभुवः: self-born ones, self-manifest progenitors

• पुरस्तात्: formerly, in the past

• तव: before you/preceding you

• देवेश: O Lord of the gods

• तत्: that (narrative/truth)

• शृणुष्व: listen (imperative)

• महामते: O great-minded one

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Purana; introducing an ancient account addressed to Devesha—Shiva)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It frames Shiva (Devesha) as the timeless Pati who stands prior to and beyond innumerable creation-cycles, establishing why the Linga is worshipped as the eternal, unconditioned principle rather than a merely historical deity-form.

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

By implying that countless Svayambhuvas have already come and gone “before” him, the verse points to Shiva-tattva as transcendent to kalpa-time—unchanging Pati, while beings and offices within creation repeatedly arise and dissolve as pashus under pasha.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

No specific rite is prescribed in this line; the takeaway is contemplative—Pashupata-oriented reflection on impermanence of cosmic roles and steadfast fixation (bhāva) on Pati, which supports steady Linga-dhyāna and devotion.