Shloka 28

व्यपोहनस्तवनिरूपण-प्रसङ्गे नक्तभोजन-शिवव्रतविधिः (वार्षिक-प्रतिमास-क्रमः)

Devanagari script

गोष्ठशायी मुनिश्रेष्ठाः क्षितौ निशि भवं स्मरेत् पौर्णमास्यां शिवं स्नाप्य दद्याद्गोमिथुनं सितम्

Transliteration

goṣṭhaśāyī muniśreṣṭhāḥ kṣitau niśi bhavaṃ smaret paurṇamāsyāṃ śivaṃ snāpya dadyādgomithunaṃ sitam

Translation

Hỡi bậc hiền thánh tối thượng, người nằm trong chuồng bò và ngủ trên nền đất trần, ban đêm nên tưởng niệm Bhava (Śiva). Vào ngày rằm, sau khi tắm gội (abhiṣeka) cho Śiva trong thờ phụng, hãy bố thí một đôi bò trắng—bò cái và bò đực.

Word by Word

• goṣṭhaśāyī: one who lies/sleeps in a cowshed

• muniśreṣṭhāḥ: O best among sages

• kṣitau: on the earth/ground

• niśi: at night

• bhavam: Bhava (Śiva)

• smaret: should remember/meditate upon

• paurṇamāsyām: on the full-moon day

• śivam: Śiva (the Lord)

• snāpya: having bathed (ritually)

• dadyāt: should give (as donation)

• gomithunam: a cow-and-bull pair

• sitam: white

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Bhava

FAQs

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

It links Śiva-abhiṣeka on the full-moon (paurṇamāsī) with disciplined austerity and go-dāna, presenting worship plus charity as a complete Shaiva sādhana that purifies the devotee and supports dharma.

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

Śiva is invoked as Bhava—the transforming Lord (Pati) who is to be remembered inwardly at night (smaraṇa) and honored outwardly through ritual bathing, indicating both immanent accessibility and transcendent lordship.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

A vrata-like discipline is taught: sleeping in a cowshed and on the ground (austerity), nocturnal remembrance of Bhava (dhyāna/smaraṇa), and paurṇamāsī Śiva-snāpana followed by go-dāna (cow-and-bull donation).