Shloka 31

अन्धक-हिरण्याक्ष-प्रसङ्गः, वराहावतारः, दंष्ट्राभूषणं च

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मणश् च तथान्येषां देवानामपि लीलया विभुरङ्गविभागेन भूषितो न यदि प्रभुः

Transliteration

brahmaṇaś ca tathānyeṣāṃ devānāmapi līlayā vibhuraṅgavibhāgena bhūṣito na yadi prabhuḥ

Translation

若至上主宰——遍一切处者——不以神圣戏乐（līlā）而借梵天及诸天之职分与作用的差别来庄严显现，则这些天神本身便毫无作为之力；因为他们的一切能力唯由主宰（Pati）所赐，乃分配宇宙职司者。

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मणः (brahmaṇaḥ): of Brahmā

• च (ca): and

• तथा (tathā): likewise

• अन्येषाम् (anyeṣām): of others

• देवानाम् (devānām): of the gods

• अपि (api): even/also

• लीलया (līlayā): by divine play

• विभुः (vibhuḥ): the all-pervading Lord

• अङ्ग-विभागेन (aṅga-vibhāgena): by division of limbs/parts i.e., by allocating functions and roles

• भूषितः (bhūṣitaḥ): adorned, invested, empowered

• न (na): not

• यदि (yadi): if

• प्रभुः (prabhuḥ): the Lord, sovereign.

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the puranic teaching; verse expresses the devas’ doctrinal praise of Shiva as Pati)

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Devas
• Shiva

FAQs

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

It grounds Linga worship in the principle that Shiva (Pati) alone empowers all divine offices; worship of the Linga is worship of the source behind Brahma and the other devas’ capacities.

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

Shiva is Vibhu and Prabhu—the all-pervading sovereign—who, by līlā, distributes differentiated functions to gods; their power is dependent, while his lordship is independent.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The implied practice is Pashupata-oriented inner recollection (smaraṇa) that all agency belongs to Pati; in puja, offerings to the Linga are made with the understanding that all deities’ powers return to Shiva as their source.