Shloka 2

Adhyaya 34: भस्ममहात्म्यं—अग्नीषोमात्मक-शिवतत्त्वं तथा पाशुपतव्रतप्रशंसा

Devanagari script

कृतमेतद्वहत्यग्निर् भूयो लोकसमाश्रयात् असकृत्त्वग्निना दग्धं जगत् स्थावरजङ्गमम्

Transliteration

kṛtametadvahatyagnir bhūyo lokasamāśrayāt asakṛttvagninā dagdhaṃ jagat sthāvarajaṅgamam

Translation

既成其事，火神阿耆尼复又炽燃，依止诸界；并且屡屡由此火焰，整个宇宙——无论不动与有动——皆被焚尽。在这轮回的焚烧中，受缚为众生（paśu）的世界，于主宰（Pati）湿婆的统御下，被时神迦罗（Kāla）之火收摄归寂。

Word by Word

• कृतम्: having been done/accomplished

• एतत्: this (act/event)

• वहति: carries/bears/sets in motion

• अग्निः: fire (Agni)

• भूयः: again, once more

• लोक-समाश्रयात्: by resorting to/depending upon the worlds (as its locus)

• असकृत्: repeatedly, many times

• तु: indeed/and

• अग्निना: by fire

• दग्धम्: burned, consumed

• जगत्: the world/universe

• स्थावर: immovable beings (plants, mountains, etc.)

• जङ्गमम्: moving beings (animals, humans, etc.)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Agni

FAQs

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

It frames the cosmos as cyclic and perishable—burned again and again—so Linga worship turns the devotee from transient lokas toward the imperishable Pati (Śiva) represented by the Linga.

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

Though Agni is named, the teaching aligns with Shiva-tattva as the supreme governor of time and dissolution: the world of pashus and pashas is periodically withdrawn under the higher sovereignty of Pati.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

A Pāśupata-oriented takeaway is vairāgya (dispassion): contemplating repeated cosmic burning supports inner renunciation, steadiness in japa/dhyāna on Śiva, and non-attachment to worldly supports (loka-āśraya).