Shloka 15

ब्रह्मकृत-ईशानस्तवः तथा विश्वरूपदेवी-प्रकृतिरहस्योपदेशः

Devanagari script

ज्येष्ठाय चैव श्रेष्ठाय रुद्राय वरदाय च कालहन्त्रे नमस्तुभ्यं नमस्तुभ्यं महात्मने

Transliteration

jyeṣṭhāya caiva śreṣṭhāya rudrāya varadāya ca kālahantre namastubhyaṃ namastubhyaṃ mahātmane

Translation

ขอนอบน้อมแด่พระองค์ผู้เก่าแก่ที่สุดและสูงสุด แด่รุทระผู้ประทานพร แด่ผู้พิชิตกาล (ความตาย) ขอนอบน้อมแด่พระองค์ ขอนอบน้อมแด่มหาตมัน

Word by Word

• ज्येष्ठाय: to the eldest/most ancient

• च एव: and indeed

• श्रेष्ठाय: to the श्रेष्ठ (supreme/excellent one)

• रुद्राय: to Rudra

• वरदाय: to the giver of boons

• च: and

• कालहन्त्रे: to the destroyer of Kāla (Time/Death)

• नमः: salutation

• तुभ्यम्: to You

• नमः तुभ्यम्: salutation to You

• महात्मने: to the great-souled one (Mahātman)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating a hymn of praise within the Linga Purana’s Rudra-stuti context)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Rudra
• Kala

FAQs

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

It functions as a namaskāra-mantra of Rudra-stuti: the devotee approaches the Linga as Pati (the supreme Lord) who is both Varada (granting grace) and Kalahantṛ (transcending death), establishing bhakti and śaraṇāgati as the foundation of worship.

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

Shiva is praised as Jyeṣṭha (primordial) and Śreṣṭha (supreme), indicating transcendence over creation, and as Kalahantṛ, implying mastery over time and mortality—key Siddhānta themes where Pati alone can sever pāśa (bondage) and elevate the paśu (soul).

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Repeated “namas tubhyaṃ” highlights japa-like reverential repetition and prostration (namaskāra) as a core aṅga of Shiva-pūjā; yogically it supports Pāśupata orientation by fixing awareness on Rudra as the liberator beyond kāla (death/time).