Shloka 17

Adhyaya 87 — Saṃsāra-viṣa-kathana: Ājñā-śakti, Māyā-bandha, and Mokṣa by Prasāda

Devanagari script

वृद्धो वा मुच्यते जन्तुः प्रसादात्परमेष्ठिनः अण्डजश् चोद्भिज्जो वापि स्वेदजो वापि मुच्यते

Transliteration

vṛddho vā mucyate jantuḥ prasādātparameṣṭhinaḥ aṇḍajaś codbhijjo vāpi svedajo vāpi mucyate

Translation

凭至上主（Parameṣṭhin）的恩赐（prasāda），即使年迈的有情众生也得解脱。同样，卵生、芽生或湿生（由汗湿而生）之类，不论何种出生方式，亦皆从系缚中被释放。

Word by Word

• वृद्धः (vṛddhaḥ): aged, advanced in years

• वा (vā): or/even

• मुच्यते (mucyate): is released, is liberated

• जन्तुः (jantuḥ): embodied creature, bound soul (paśu)

• प्रसादात् (prasādāt): by grace, by divine favor

• परमेष्ठिनः (parameṣṭhinaḥ): of the Supreme Lord (Pati), the Highest

• अण्डजः (aṇḍajaḥ): egg-born being

• च (ca): and

• उद्भिज्जः (udbhijjaḥ): sprout-born/plant-born being

• अपि (api): also

• स्वेदजः (svedajaḥ): sweat/moisture-born being

• मुच्यते (mucyate): is freed (from pāśa/bondage)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the teaching on Shiva’s liberating grace)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It frames moksha as arising from Shiva’s prasāda (anugraha): Linga-puja is meaningful because it is a direct approach to Pati (Shiva), whose grace alone cuts the pāśa (bondage) of the paśu (soul), regardless of worldly condition such as age or birth.

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

Shiva is presented as Parameṣṭhin—the transcendent Lord and liberator—whose compassion is universal and not restricted by caste, species, or mode of birth; liberation is ultimately a bestowal of His sovereign grace.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The verse emphasizes anugraha-centered Shaiva sadhana: devotion and surrender expressed through Linga-puja and Pashupata-oriented discipline, where practice prepares the paśu, but Shiva’s grace is the निर्णायक (decisive) factor in release.