Shloka 25
Arjuna’s Mantra-Empowerment and the Pāṇḍavas’ Separation (Śiva-rūpa through Mantra)
अन्ते च मरणं चैव महादुःखमतः परम् । नानानरकपीडाश्च भुज्यंतेज्ञैर्नरैस्सदा
ante ca maraṇaṃ caiva mahāduḥkhamataḥ param | nānānarakapīḍāśca bhujyaṃtejñairnaraissadā
ท้ายที่สุดความตายย่อมมาถึง—เป็นทุกข์ใหญ่ยิ่งกว่าสิ่งใด; จากนั้นคนเขลาย่อมเสวยความทรมานแห่งนรกนานาประการอยู่เสมอ
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Mahākāla
Jyotirlinga: Mahākāleśvara
Sthala Purana: Mahākāla as the Lord of Time who grants fearlessness from death; the liṅga is revered as embodying Śiva’s mastery over kāla and saṃhāra, drawing devotees seeking liberation from mortality.
Significance: Worship is sought for relief from fear of death, karmic purification, and steadiness in the face of time’s dissolution.
Type: mahamrityunjaya
Shakti Form: Kālī
Role: destructive
Cosmic Event: kāla (time) as the devouring principle culminating in death
FAQs
It warns that ajñāna (spiritual ignorance) culminates in intense suffering—first as the great pain of death, and then as karmic retribution—urging the seeker to turn toward Shiva-centered knowledge and liberation.
By highlighting the fate of the ignorant, it implicitly recommends taking refuge in Saguna Shiva through Linga-worship and devotion, which purify karma and lead the mind toward Shiva-jnana and freedom from bondage.
A practical takeaway is steady Shiva-bhakti—daily Panchakshara japa (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with purity of conduct; where applicable, supporting observances like Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa are traditional aids for remembrance of Shiva.