Shloka 40

देवदारुवनौकसां प्रति ब्रह्मोपदेशः—लिङ्गलक्षण-प्रतिष्ठा-विधिः, शिवमायारूपदर्शनं, स्तुतिः

Devanagari script

शङ्कराय वृषाङ्काय गणानां पतये नमः दण्डहस्ताय कालाय पाशहस्ताय वै नमः

Transliteration

śaṅkarāya vṛṣāṅkāya gaṇānāṃ pataye namaḥ daṇḍahastāya kālāya pāśahastāya vai namaḥ

Translation

వృషాంకధారి, గణాధిపతి శంకరునికి నమః. దండహస్తుడైన కాలస్వరూపునికి, పాశహస్తధారికి కూడా నమః.

Word by Word

• शङ्कराय (śaṅkarāya): to Śaṅkara, the auspicious one

• वृषाङ्काय (vṛṣāṅkāya): to Him marked by the Bull (Nandin/dharma)

• गणानां (gaṇānāṃ): of the gaṇas (Śiva’s hosts)

• पतये (pataye): to the Lord/master

• नमः (namaḥ): salutations

• दण्डहस्ताय (daṇḍa-hastāya): to Him whose hand holds the staff/rod of discipline

• कालाय (kālāya): to Kāla, Time/Death as cosmic regulator

• पाशहस्ताय (pāśa-hastāya): to Him whose hand holds the noose (bondage and restraint)

• वै (vai): indeed, surely

• नमः (namaḥ): salutations

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating a Shiva-stuti within the Linga Purana discourse to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Ganas
• Nandi
• Kala

FAQs

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

It frames Linga-worship as surrender to Pati (Śiva), who rules the gaṇas and governs karma as Kāla; the devotee approaches the Linga seeking release from pāśa (bondage) rather than mere worldly boons.

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

Śiva is shown as both auspicious grace (Śaṅkara) and cosmic regulator (Kāla): the Lord who disciplines beings with the daṇḍa and who binds/controls with the pāśa—yet, as Pati, He is also the one who can loosen those bonds for the paśu (individual soul).

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

A stuti-based upāsanā: recitation of Śiva’s epithets during Linga-pūjā to cultivate bhakti and vairāgya, aligning with Pāśupata orientation—recognizing pāśa and seeking refuge in Pati for liberation.