Shloka 33

Devanagari script

गौणं गणेश्वराणां च दुःखमेव विचारतः आदौ मध्ये तथा चान्ते सर्वलोकेषु सर्वदा

Transliteration

gauṇaṃ gaṇeśvarāṇāṃ ca duḥkhameva vicārataḥ ādau madhye tathā cānte sarvalokeṣu sarvadā

Translation

غور و فکر سے معلوم ہوتا ہے کہ گنیشوروں کی بھی گَون (دنیاوی) حیثیت محض دکھ ہے—ابتدا میں، درمیان میں اور انجام میں؛ تمام لوکوں میں، ہر زمانے میں۔

Word by Word

• gauṇam: secondary, subordinate, worldly (non-supreme) state

• gaṇeśvarāṇām: of the Gaṇeśvaras (lords among Śiva’s attendants)

• ca: and/even

• duḥkham eva: nothing but suffering

• vicārataḥ: upon inquiry, by reflection/discernment

• ādau: in the beginning

• madhye: in the middle

• tathā: likewise

• ca ante: and in the end

• sarva-lokeṣu: in all worlds/realms

• sarvadā: always, at all times

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Purāṇic teaching to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya; internal context implies a doctrinal reflection on saṃsāra even for exalted beings)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Ganesvaras

FAQs

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

It underlines that all conditioned statuses—even exalted celestial roles—remain within duḥkha across time and worlds; therefore Linga-worship is aimed at Pati (Śiva) for transcendence and release from pasha, not merely for higher rank within saṃsāra.

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

By implication, Śiva-tattva is the non-gauṇa, supreme Pati beyond the cycle of beginning–middle–end; all other positions are secondary and bound, while Śiva alone grants freedom from the universal condition of duḥkha.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The takeaway aligns with Pāśupata discernment (vicāra) and vairāgya: recognizing the pervasiveness of duḥkha to turn toward Śiva through Linga-pūjā, mantra, and Pāśupata-yoga seeking anugraha (grace) rather than worldly attainments.