Shloka 77
बन्धमोक्षवर्णनम्
Bondage and Liberation: The Prakṛti–Karma Wheel and Śiva as the Transcendent Cause
वकारः शक्तिरमृतं मेलनं शिव उच्यते । तस्मादेवं स्वमात्मानं शिवं कृत्वार्चयेच्छिवम्
vakāraḥ śaktiramṛtaṃ melanaṃ śiva ucyate | tasmādevaṃ svamātmānaṃ śivaṃ kṛtvārcayecchivam
‘و’ حرف کو شکتی، امرت اور ملاپ کہا گیا ہے—اسی کو شِو کہا جاتا ہے۔ لہٰذا اپنے باطن کو شِومَی بنا کر شِو کی پوجا کرنی چاہیے۔
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Sadāśiva
Jyotirlinga: Viśvanātha
Sthala Purana: As part of the Viśveśvara-khaṇḍa teaching-stream, the verse aligns with Kāśī’s doctrine that liberation is secured by Śiva’s grace when the devotee internalizes Śiva-bhāva (śivīkaraṇa) and worships; the ‘melana’ (union) motif resonates with Kāśī as the meeting-place of jñāna and bhakti under Viśveśvara’s lordship.
Significance: Internal śivīkaraṇa (making oneself ‘Śiva-like’ through purity and identification) is presented as the key that makes external worship fully efficacious—mirroring Kāśī’s promise of anugraha leading to release.
Type: panchakshara
Shakti Form: Pārvatī
Role: liberating
FAQs
It teaches that true Śiva-worship is not only external ritual but also inner transformation—purifying and aligning the self with Śiva through mantra-meaning, Śakti, and the experience of immortality (amṛta).
It supports Saguna worship (such as Linga-arcana) while emphasizing that the worshipper should inwardly become ‘Śiva-like’—pure, steady, and united with Śakti—so the outer offering is empowered by inner realization.
Meditate on the mantra-syllable meaning (especially the śakti-tattva implied by “va”), cultivate inner purity and unity, then perform Śiva-arcana—ideally with japa of the Pañcākṣarī and focused contemplation during worship.