Shloka 55

अध्याय ९६: शरभ-प्रादुर्भावः, नृसिंह-दर्पशमनम्, विष्णोः शिवस्तुतिः, फलश्रुति

Devanagari script

स्थूला ये हि प्रपश्यन्ति तद्विष्णोः परमं पदम् द्यावापृथिव्या इन्द्राग्नियमस्य वरुणस्य च

Transliteration

sthūlā ye hi prapaśyanti tadviṣṇoḥ paramaṃ padam dyāvāpṛthivyā indrāgniyamasya varuṇasya ca

Translation

心识仍粗重者，确实把那看作毗湿奴（Viṣṇu）的“至上之位”；同样也把天与地的境界与权能，以及因陀罗、阿耆尼、阎摩、伐楼那等的权域当作究竟。然而对寻求主宰（Pati，湿婆 Śiva）之人而言，这些只是轮回（saṃsāra）中的有限职分，并非脱离缚索（pāśa）的终极解脱。

Word by Word

• स्थूलाः: gross-minded, bound to the tangible

• ये: who

• हि: indeed

• प्रपश्यन्ति: perceive, behold

• तत्: that

• विष्णोः: of Viṣṇu

• परमम्: highest, supreme

• पदम्: station, abode

• द्यावापृथिव्याः: of Heaven-and-Earth

• इन्द्र: Indra

• अग्नि: Agni (fire-deity)

• यमस्य: of Yama (lord of restraint/death)

• वरुणस्य: of Varuṇa (cosmic order/waters)

• च: and

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Dyaus
• Prithivi
• Indra
• Agni
• Yama
• Varuna
• Shiva

FAQs

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

It redirects the devotee from seeking merely exalted cosmic abodes (deva-lokas) to seeking Pati—Śiva—through Liṅga-upāsanā, where liberation is defined as release of the paśu from pāśa.

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

By implication it distinguishes the highest reality from limited divine jurisdictions: Śiva-tattva is the transcendent Pati beyond the offices of Indra, Agni, Yama, Varuṇa and even the notion of a ‘supreme station’ grasped by gross perception.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Vairāgya (detachment) is emphasized as the yogic prerequisite in Pāśupata practice—turning from gross, reward-based worship toward inner purification and steadfast Liṅga-bhakti aimed at mokṣa.