Shloka 8

Adhyaya 33: Pashupata Conduct, Bhasma-Vrata, and Shiva’s Boon to the Sages

Devanagari script

रुद्रलोकमनुप्राप्य न निवर्तन्ति ते पुनः तस्मादेतद्व्रतं दिव्यम् अव्यक्तं व्यक्तलिङ्गिनः

Transliteration

rudralokamanuprāpya na nivartanti te punaḥ tasmādetadvrataṃ divyam avyaktaṃ vyaktaliṅginaḥ

Translation

既已到达鲁陀罗之界，他们便不再回返。因此，此一神圣誓戒——体性幽微，而由林伽显现——属于执持显明圣相之主；它使被缚之灵（兽魂，paśu）脱离再来之轮回。

Word by Word

• रुद्रलोकम् (rudralokam): Rudra’s abode/world

• अनुप्राप्य (anuprāpya): having reached/attained

• न (na): not

• निवर्तन्ति (nivartanti): return

• ते (te): they

• पुनः (punaḥ): again

• तस्मात् (tasmāt): therefore

• एतत् (etat): this

• व्रतम् (vratam): vow/observance

• दिव्यम् (divyam): divine

• अव्यक्तम् (avyaktam): unmanifest/subtle

• व्यक्तलिङ्गिनः (vyakta-liṅginaḥ): of the One whose Linga/sign is manifest (the Linga-bearing Lord)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Linga Purana teaching to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Rudra
• Linga

FAQs

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

It declares Linga-related vrata and worship as a direct liberating discipline: reaching Rudraloka through devotion to the manifest Linga of the unmanifest Pati, the pashu is freed from returning to saṃsāra.

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

Shiva is indicated as avyakta (transcendent, beyond sensory grasp) yet approached through the vyakta-liṅga (manifest sign), showing how the formless Pati becomes accessible without losing His transcendence.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

A divine vrata centered on the Linga—regular observance combining puja, purity, and steadfast devotion—aligned with Pāśupata intent: severing pāśa (bondage) so the pashu does not return to rebirth.