Shloka 87

अध्याय ८२ — व्यपोहनस्तवः (पापव्यपोहन-स्तोत्रम्)

Devanagari script

वृतो नन्दादिभिर् नित्यं मातृभिर् मखमर्दनः शिवार्चनरतो नित्यं स मे पापं व्यपोहतु

Transliteration

vṛto nandādibhir nityaṃ mātṛbhir makhamardanaḥ śivārcanarato nityaṃ sa me pāpaṃ vyapohatu

Translation

Nawa’y alisin ni Makha-mardana—na laging napapaligiran ni Nandin at ng iba pang mga gaṇa, at ng mga Banal na Ina, at laging nakatuon sa Śivārcana, ang pagsamba kay Śiva—ang aking kasalanan. Bilang Pati, nawa’y luwagan Niya ang mga pāśa na nagbubuklod sa paśu (ang indibidwal na kaluluwa) at dalisayin ako sa matatag na Śivārcana.

Word by Word

• वृतः (vṛtaḥ): surrounded/attended

• नन्दादिभिः (nandādibhiḥ): by Nandin and others (Śiva’s attendants)

• नित्यं (nityaṃ): always

• मातृभिः (mātṛbhiḥ): by the Mothers (Mātṛkās/Divine Mothers)

• मखमर्दनः (makhamardanaḥ): the destroyer of the sacrifice (He who crushes ritual pride)

• शिवार्चनरतः (śivārcanarataḥ): intent on/absorbed in worship of Śiva

• सः (saḥ): he/that Lord

• मे (me): my

• पापं (pāpaṃ): sin/impurity

• व्यपोहतु (vyapohatu): may remove/drive away

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating a Shiva-stuti within the Linga Purana discourse)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Nandin
• Matrikas

FAQs

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

It frames Śivārcana (including Liṅga-pūjā) as a direct means of pāpa-kṣaya: by remembering Śiva as ever engaged in His own worship and attended by His śakti-forces (Mothers) and gaṇas, the devotee seeks purification through His grace.

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

Śiva is implied as Pati—the sovereign Lord beyond bondage—who can “drive away” impurity. His being surrounded by Nandin and the Mātṛkās indicates His lordship over gaṇas and śaktis, and “Makha-mardana” points to His supremacy over mere ritualism when it becomes ego-driven.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Śivārcana (worship of Śiva/Liṅga) is highlighted as the core practice; in a Shaiva Siddhanta reading, it functions as a purifying discipline that weakens pāśa (bondage) for the paśu (soul) by the anugraha (grace) of Pati.