Shloka 6

अध्याय 91: अरिष्ट-लक्षण, मृत्यु-संस्कार, पाशुपत-धारणा तथा ओङ्कार-उपासना

Devanagari script

अकस्माच्च भवेत्स्थूलो ह्य् अकस्माच्च कृशो भवेत् प्रकृतेश् च निवर्तेत चाष्टौ मासांश् च जीवति

Transliteration

akasmācca bhavetsthūlo hy akasmācca kṛśo bhavet prakṛteś ca nivarteta cāṣṭau māsāṃś ca jīvati

Translation

Nếu một người bỗng nhiên trở nên béo tốt, hoặc bỗng nhiên gầy mòn, và rời khỏi thể tạng tự nhiên của mình, thì được nói là chỉ còn sống thêm tám tháng.

Word by Word

• akasmāt: suddenly

• ca: and

• bhavet: becomes

• sthūlaḥ: stout, corpulent

• hi: indeed

• akasmāt: suddenly

• ca: and

• kṛśaḥ: thin, emaciated

• bhavet: becomes

• prakṛteḥ: from (one’s) natural constitution/temperament

• ca: and

• nivarteta: turns away, deviates

• ca: and

• aṣṭau: eight

• māsān: months

• ca: and

• jīvati: lives

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)

FAQs

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

By marking sudden bodily change as a sign of shortened life, the verse urges the pashu (individual soul) to turn quickly toward Shiva (Pati) through Linga-puja, japa, and surrender, before time is lost.

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

Implicitly, it contrasts unstable prakṛti (changing body-mind) with Shiva-tattva as the steady Pati beyond change; recognizing prakṛti’s deviation becomes a prompt to seek refuge in the unchanging Lord.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Not a specific rite is named, but the teaching supports Pāśupata-style vigilance (smṛti of mortality) that intensifies daily Linga-arcana, mantra-japa (e.g., Om Namaḥ Śivāya), and detachment from pasha (bondage).