Shloka 28

अन्धक-हिरण्याक्ष-प्रसङ्गः, वराहावतारः, दंष्ट्राभूषणं च

Devanagari script

यदृच्छया भवः पश्यन् जगाम जगदीश्वरः दंष्ट्रां जग्राह दृष्ट्वा तां भूषणार्थमथात्मनः

Transliteration

yadṛcchayā bhavaḥ paśyan jagāma jagadīśvaraḥ daṃṣṭrāṃ jagrāha dṛṣṭvā tāṃ bhūṣaṇārthamathātmanaḥ

Translation

యదృచ్ఛగా సాగుతున్న జగదీశ్వరుడైన భవుడు చూశాడు; దంష్ట్రను చూసి, దానిని తనకు ఆభరణంగా ఉద్దేశించి తీసుకున్నాడు.

Word by Word

• yadṛcchayā: by chance, spontaneously

• bhavaḥ: Bhava (Shiva)

• paśyan: seeing

• jagāma: went, proceeded

• jagad-īśvaraḥ: Lord of the universe

• daṃṣṭrām: a tusk (fang)

• jagrāha: seized, took up

• dṛṣṭvā: having seen

• tām: that

• bhūṣaṇa-artham: for the purpose of ornament/adornment

• atha: then

• ātmanaḥ: for himself

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva (Bhava, Jagadishvara)

FAQs

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

It highlights Shiva’s self-sufficient sovereignty (Pati): even ordinary objects become sacred when associated with him, reinforcing that the Linga and its worship sanctify matter by contact with the Lord’s presence.

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

Shiva appears as Jagadishvara yet acts with effortless freedom; this points to Shiva-tattva as svatantra (independent) and beyond need, adopting forms and ornaments by divine will rather than compulsion.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

A Pashupata-aligned takeaway is vairagya: Shiva’s ornament is not luxury but a sign of transcendence—training the pashu (bound soul) to loosen pasha (bondage) through non-attachment and sanctified perception.