Shloka 71

अध्याय ८२ — व्यपोहनस्तवः (पापव्यपोहन-स्तोत्रम्)

Devanagari script

उर्वशी मेनका चैव रंभा रतितिलोत्तमाः सुमुखी दुर्मुखी चैव कामुकी कामवर्धनी

Transliteration

urvaśī menakā caiva raṃbhā ratitilottamāḥ sumukhī durmukhī caiva kāmukī kāmavardhanī

Translation

乌尔瓦希与梅那卡，亦有兰婆；罗蒂与提洛塔玛；又有苏穆姬与杜尔穆姬；卡穆姬与卡摩瓦尔达尼——这些天女（Apsarā）被列为湿婆宇宙统御之下的神圣随从之一部。

Word by Word

• उर्वशी (Urvaśī): celestial nymph

• मेनका (Menakā): celestial nymph

• च (ca): and

• एव (eva): indeed/also

• रंभा (Rambhā): celestial nymph

• रति (Ratī): goddess of desire, consort of Kāma

• तिलोत्तमा (Tilottamā): celestial nymph of exquisite beauty

• सुमुखी (Sumukhī): ‘fair-faced’ apsaras/name

• दुर्मुखी (Durmukhī): ‘ill-faced’/name of an apsaras

• कामुकी (Kāmukī): desirous/passionate, name

• कामवर्धनी (Kāmavardhanī): ‘increaser of desire’, name

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Urvaśī
• Menakā
• Rambhā
• Ratī
• Tilottamā
• Sumukhī
• Durmukhī
• Kāmukī
• Kāmavardhanī

FAQs

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

By listing famed apsaras and divine figures, the verse situates all alluring powers (kāma and beauty) within Śiva’s overarching order, reminding the worshipper that devotion to the Liṅga subordinates worldly fascination to Pati (the Lord).

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

It implies Śiva-tattva as the supreme regulator: even forces that bind the paśu through desire (kāma as pasha) are contained within His cosmic governance, affirming Śiva as Pati beyond attraction and aversion.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The takeaway aligns with Pāśupata discipline: restraint and sublimation of kāma (desire) so that the paśu loosens pasha (bondage) and turns the mind toward Liṅga-dhyāna and Śiva-bhakti.