पूर्वगतिवर्णनम् (Pūrvagati-varṇana) — “Description of the Prior Course / Earlier Lineage Account”
जगद्वंद्याः सदा लोकमातरः परमोददाः । योगिन्यः परमा ज्ञाननिधानास्तास्त्रिलोकगाः
jagadvaṃdyāḥ sadā lokamātaraḥ paramodadāḥ | yoginyaḥ paramā jñānanidhānāstāstrilokagāḥ
她们恒为整个世界所礼敬,是诸界之母,至为慷慨施恩。那些瑜伽尼(Yoginī)至高无上,是灵性智慧的宝藏,行游于三界之间。
Sūta Gosvāmī (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti
Type: stotra
Shakti Form: Pārvatī
Role: teaching
Offering: pushpa
The verse extols the Yoginīs as world-mothers and vessels of jñāna, indicating that divine grace and liberating knowledge flow through Śakti, the power of Śiva, who pervades and governs the three worlds.
In Śaiva practice, Saguna Śiva (often worshiped as the Liṅga) is approached together with Śakti; honoring the Mothers/Yoginīs reflects reverence to Śiva’s inseparable power that bestows protection, boons, and spiritual awakening.
It supports Śiva-Śakti upāsanā: steady japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with disciplined yoga (yama-niyama), and devotional offerings to Śiva alongside reverence to the divine Mothers as sources of guidance and knowledge.