Shloka 190
Śiva-nāmānukīrtana-prastāvaḥ
Prologue to the praise of Śiva and the Upamanyu testimony
दिवसकरशशाड्कवद्िदीप्तं त्रिभुवनसारमसारमाद्यमेकम् । अजरममरमप्रसाद्य रुद्रं जगति पुमानिह को लभेत शान्तिम्
divākarāśaśāṅkavahnidīptaṃ tribhuvanasāram asāram ādyam ekam | ajaram amaram aprasādya rudraṃ jagati pumān iha ko labheta śāntim ||
Wika ni Vāsudeva: “Yaong nagliliwanag dahil sa sinag ng araw, buwan, at apoy; siyang pinakadiwa ng tatlong daigdig, at wala nang mas mataas pang ‘diwa’ kaysa sa Kanya; siyang unang sanhi ng sansinukob, iisa at walang kapantay, hindi isinilang at hindi namamatay—kung hindi muna mapalulugod ang Panginoong Rudra sa pamamagitan ng debosyon, sinong tao sa mundong ito ang makakamtan ang kapayapaan?”
वासुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
Peace (śānti) is presented as dependent on divine grace: one must please Rudra through devotion. The verse frames Rudra as the unique, primordial, deathless essence behind the cosmos, implying that ethical and spiritual tranquility is not merely self-made but arises from alignment with and surrender to the highest reality.
Vāsudeva speaks in praise of Rudra, describing him with cosmic attributes (illumined by sun, moon, and fire; essence of the three worlds) and concludes with a rhetorical question: without propitiating Rudra, who can attain peace in the world? The speech functions as a theological affirmation and a devotional exhortation.