Shloka 83

दारुवनलीला—नीललोहितपरीक्षा, ब्रह्मोपदेशः, अतिथिधर्मः, संन्यासक्रमः

Devanagari script

श्वेतेनैवं जितो मृत्युर् भवभक्त्या महात्मना वो ऽस्तु भक्तिर्महादेवे शङ्करे परमात्मनि

Transliteration

śvetenaivaṃ jito mṛtyur bhavabhaktyā mahātmanā vo 'stu bhaktirmahādeve śaṅkare paramātmani

Translation

یوں عظیم النفس شْوَیت نے بھَوَ (شِو) کی بھکتی سے موت کو جیت لیا۔ تم سب کو بھی مہادیو—شنکر، پرماتما—میں اٹل بھکتی نصیب ہو۔

Word by Word

• śvetena: by Śveta

• evaṃ: thus/in this manner

• jitaḥ: conquered

• mṛtyuḥ: Death

• bhava-bhaktyā: by devotion to Bhava (Śiva)

• mahātmanā: by the great-souled one

• vaḥ: for you/your

• astu: may it be

• bhaktiḥ: devotion

• mahādeve: in Mahādeva

• śaṅkare: in Śaṅkara (the beneficent)

• paramātmani: in the Supreme Self

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages at Naimisharanya, recounting the Śveta episode)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Mahadeva
• Shankara
• Paramatman
• Mrityu
• Shveta

FAQs

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

It teaches that true victory over fear and death arises from bhakti to Bhava-Śiva—the inner reality worshipped through the Liṅga as Paramātman—so Liṅga-pūjā is not mere ritual but surrender to Pati who grants protection and liberation.

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

Śiva is presented as Mahādeva and Śaṅkara, and also as Paramātman—both the personal Lord (Pati) who responds to devotion and the supreme Self that transcends mortality, capable of cutting the bonds (pāśa) of the soul (paśu).

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The verse highlights bhakti as the decisive upāya (means)—the devotional core that underlies Pāśupata-oriented practice; it implies steady remembrance and worship of Śiva (often expressed as Liṅga-arcana and japa) as the path to fearlessness.