Shloka 74

Devadāru (Dāruvana) Forest: The Delusion of Ritual Pride, the Liṅga Crisis, and the Teaching of Jñāna–Pāśupata Yoga

Devanagari script

सहस्रशीर्षा पुरुषः सहस्राक्षः सहस्रपात् / एकशृङ्गो महानात्मा पुराणो ऽष्टाक्षरो हरिः

Transliteration

sahasraśīrṣā puruṣaḥ sahasrākṣaḥ sahasrapāt / ekaśṛṅgo mahānātmā purāṇo 'ṣṭākṣaro hariḥ

Translation

وہ پرم پُرش ہزار سروں والا، ہزار آنکھوں والا اور ہزار پاؤں والا ہے۔ وہ یکتا (ایک شِرنگ)، مہان آتما، قدیم ہری ہے—مقدس اَشٹاکشر منتر کی صورت میں۔

Word by Word

• sahasraśīrṣāḥ: having a thousand heads
• sahasraśīrṣāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sahasra (प्रातिपदिक) + śīrṣan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास: सहस्रं शीर्षाणि यस्य; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• puruṣaḥ: the Person (Puruṣa)
• puruṣaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puruṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• sahasrākṣaḥ: having a thousand eyes
• sahasrākṣaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sahasra (प्रातिपदिक) + akṣi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास: सहस्रम् अक्षीणि यस्य; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• sahasrapāt: having a thousand feet
• sahasrapāt: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sahasra (प्रातिपदिक) + pād (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास: सहस्रं पादाः यस्य; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (pāt as nom.sg. in -pād type)

• ekaśṛṅgaḥ: one-horned
• ekaśṛṅgaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक) + śṛṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास: एकं शृङ्गं यस्य; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• mahānātmā: great-souled one
• mahānātmā: Samānādhikaraṇa (समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास: महान् आत्मा; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• purāṇaḥ: ancient
• purāṇaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: purāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• aṣṭākṣaraḥ: eight-syllabled
• aṣṭākṣaraḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aṣṭa (प्रातिपदिक) + akṣara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास: अष्टौ अक्षराणि यस्य/अष्टाक्षरः; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• hariḥ: Hari (Viṣṇu)
• hariḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hari (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) teaching in the Ishvara Gita context

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Puruṣa
• Hari
• Aṣṭākṣara (oṁ namo nārāyaṇāya)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

How does this verse explain the nature of the Supreme Self (Atman)?

It presents the Supreme as the all-pervading Puruṣa—cosmic, all-seeing, and primordial—yet also approachable as Hari through mantra, indicating the Atman’s transcendence and immanence.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse supports mantra-yoga and dhyāna: meditating on the all-pervading Puruṣa while concentrating on the aṣṭākṣara (oṁ namo nārāyaṇāya) as a focused means to realize the Supreme.

How does this verse depict the relationship between Shiva and Vishnu?

Within the Ishvara Gita’s synthesis, the Supreme is described in universal, non-sectarian terms (Puruṣa, Mahānātmā) while named Hari—supporting the Purana’s view that the one Ishvara is praised through multiple theological lenses.