Shloka 11

Upamanyu’s Tapas, Shiva’s Indra-Form Test, and the Bestowal of Kshiroda and Gaṇapatya

Devanagari script

दुःखिता सा तदा प्राह सम्प्रेक्ष्याघ्राय मूर्धनि संमार्ज्य नेत्रे पुत्रस्य कराभ्यां कमलायते

Transliteration

duḥkhitā sā tadā prāha samprekṣyāghrāya mūrdhani saṃmārjya netre putrasya karābhyāṃ kamalāyate

Translation

那时她悲痛欲绝而开口说话——凝视细看，嗅闻儿子头顶的气息，并以双手拭去他眼中的泪痕，使其双目如莲华般开启。

Word by Word

• duḥkhitā: sorrow-stricken

• sā: she

• tadā: then

• prāha: said/spoke

• samprekṣya: having looked closely

• āghrāya: having smelled

• mūrdhani: on the head

• saṃmārjya: having wiped/cleansed

• netre: the two eyes

• putrasya: of (her) son

• karābhyām: with (her) two hands

• kamalāyate: becomes lotus-like/opens like a lotus

Speaker

Suta (narrating the episode to the sages; the verse depicts the mother’s action as she begins to speak)

FAQs

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

It frames intense human sorrow and tenderness as a purifying threshold—when the heart softens, the pashu becomes receptive to dharma and Shiva-bhakti, which later matures into Linga-centered worship.

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

Indirectly, it highlights the condition of the bound soul (pashu) under duḥkha and attachment; Shiva-tattva stands as the compassionate Pati who becomes the refuge when worldly supports tremble.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

No explicit puja-vidhi appears; the practical takeaway is inner discipline—transforming grief into viveka and vairagya, which supports Pashupata-oriented remembrance and surrender to Shiva.