Shloka 5

देवदारुवनौकसां प्रति ब्रह्मोपदेशः—लिङ्गलक्षण-प्रतिष्ठा-विधिः, शिवमायारूपदर्शनं, स्तुतिः

Devanagari script

संहरत्येष भगवान् कालो भूत्वा महेश्वरः एष चैव प्रजाः सर्वाः सृजत्येकः स्वतेजसा

Transliteration

saṃharatyeṣa bhagavān kālo bhūtvā maheśvaraḥ eṣa caiva prajāḥ sarvāḥ sṛjatyekaḥ svatejasā

Translation

Đấng Bhagavān ấy, trở thành Mahēśvara như chính Thời Gian (Kāla), thu nhiếp và làm tan rã vũ trụ; và chính Một Đấng ấy—chỉ bằng quang huy tự thân—lại sáng tạo muôn loài. Trong Shaiva Siddhānta, Ngài là Pati, chủ tể cả sṛṣṭi và saṃhāra, còn các paśu vận hành trong trật tự của Ngài.

Word by Word

• संहरति: withdraws/dissolves

• एष: this (One)

• भगवान्: the Blessed Lord

• कालः: Time

• भूत्वा: having become/assuming the form

• महेश्वरः: Maheshvara (Great Lord Shiva)

• एष: this very (One)

• च एव: and indeed

• प्रजाः: creatures/progeny/beings

• सर्वाः: all

• सृजति: creates/emanates

• एकः: one/alone

• स्वतेजसा: by His own tejas (radiance/power).

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the doctrine of Shiva as Time to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Maheshvara
• Kala (Time)

FAQs

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

It grounds Linga-worship in tattva: the Linga signifies the one Pati (Shiva) whose svatejas sustains, manifests, and withdraws all worlds—so worship is directed to the source beyond transient forms.

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

Shiva is identified with Kāla (Time) as Maheshvara: the single sovereign who performs both sṛṣṭi and saṃhāra. This expresses His lordship (aiśvarya) over pasha-bound existence while remaining the one supreme cause.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

A contemplative Pashupata-oriented practice is implied: meditate on Shiva as Kāla and as svatejas (self-luminous power), cultivating detachment from change and recognizing Pati as the inner governor of cosmic cycles.