Shloka 13

Indra’s Account: Shilada’s Tapas and Shiva’s Manifestation as Nandi

Devanagari script

एवमुक्त्वा मुनिं प्रेक्ष्य प्रणिपत्य स्थितं घृणी सोमः सोमोपमः प्रीतस् तत्रैवान्तरधीयत

Transliteration

evamuktvā muniṃ prekṣya praṇipatya sthitaṃ ghṛṇī somaḥ somopamaḥ prītas tatraivāntaradhīyata

Translation

ครั้นตรัสดังนี้แล้ว โสมะ—ผู้รุ่งเรืองดุจโสมะเอง—ทอดพระเนตรมุนี กราบนอบน้อม และด้วยความกรุณาและความปีติ ยืนอยู่ ณ ที่นั้นแล้วก็อันตรธานไป ณ ที่เดิมนั้นเอง

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus

• उक्त्वा: having spoken

• मुनिम्: the sage

• प्रेक्ष्य: having looked at/seeing

• प्रणिपत्य: having bowed/prostrated

• स्थितम्: standing/remaining

• घृणी: compassionate, merciful (one)

• सोमः: Soma (the Moon-god)

• सोमोपमः: comparable to Soma, moon-like in radiance

• प्रीतः: pleased, delighted

• तत्र एव: right there, in that very place

• अन्तरधीयत: disappeared, became invisible

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the episode to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Soma
• Muni (sage)

FAQs

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

It highlights the Shaiva ethic that true merit in Linga-oriented devotion is sealed by humility—bowing to spiritual authority (muni/guru) and acting with compassion, which invites anugraha (grace) rather than mere ritual display.

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

Though Shiva is not named, the verse reflects Shiva-tattva indirectly through the principle of anugraha: divine power appears, blesses, and then withdraws (antaradhāna), indicating the Lord’s governance of revelation and concealment that liberates the paśu from pāśa.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The key practice is praṇipāta (prostration) and guru-sammāna (reverence to the sage), a foundational discipline aligned with Pāśupata conduct—humility, restraint, and receptivity to grace.