Shloka 23

Adhyaya 79 — Bhakti-Mahima and Linga-Archana-Vidhi

Condensed Ritual Sequence

Devanagari script

वृक्षाः पुष्पादिपत्राद्यैर् उपयुक्ताः शिवार्चने गावश्चैव द्विजश्रेष्ठाः प्रयान्ति परमां गतिम्

Transliteration

vṛkṣāḥ puṣpādipatrādyair upayuktāḥ śivārcane gāvaścaiva dvijaśreṣṭhāḥ prayānti paramāṃ gatim

Translation

噢，最胜的二次生者！诸树木若以其花、叶等供用于礼敬湿婆；同样，诸牛亦然，皆得趋入至上归趣——因与主宰帕提、湿婆之奉事相连，连被系缚者亦得提升。

Word by Word

• वृक्षाः (vṛkṣāḥ): trees

• पुष्प-आदि (puṣpa-ādi): flowers and other offerings

• पत्र-आद्यैः (patra-ādyaiḥ): by leaves and similar items

• उपयुक्ताः (upayuktāḥ): used, employed

• शिव-अर्चने (śiva-arcane): in the worship of Śiva

• गावः (gāvaḥ): cows

• च एव (ca eva): and indeed

• द्विज-श्रेष्ठाः (dvija-śreṣṭhāḥ): O best among the twice-born (Brāhmaṇa)

• प्रयान्ति (prayānti): go, attain

• परमाम् (paramām): supreme

• गतिम् (gatim): state, destination (liberating attainment).

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It declares the phala (spiritual result) of Śiva-arcana: even natural beings like trees (through their offerings) and supportive beings like cows become connected to Śiva’s worship and thus attain an exalted, liberating destiny.

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

Śiva is implied as Pati—the Lord whose grace uplifts paśu (bound beings). Contact with His worship purifies and elevates, indicating His role as the liberator beyond ordinary karmic limitation.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Śiva-archana (Linga-pūjā) using flowers and leaves—an offering-based practice that supports inner purification and aligns the worshipper with Pāśupata orientation: surrender of action to Pati to loosen pāśa (bondage).