Shloka 1

Devanagari script

ऋषय ऊचुः कथं वै दृष्टवान्ब्रह्मा सद्योजातं महेश्वरम् वामदेवं महात्मानं पुराणपुरुषोत्तमम्

Transliteration

ṛṣaya ūcuḥ kathaṃ vai dṛṣṭavānbrahmā sadyojātaṃ maheśvaram vāmadevaṃ mahātmānaṃ purāṇapuruṣottamam

Translation

قال الحكماء: «كيف حقًّا أبصر براهما ماهيشڤارا في هيئة سَدْيُوجَاتَ، وأبصر فاماديفا العظيم الروح—البوروشوتّما الأزلي، الأسمى بين البوروشات الخالدين؟»

Word by Word

• ऋषयः: the sages

• ऊचुः: said

• कथम्: how

• वै: indeed

• दृष्टवान्: saw/beheld

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā

• सद्योजातम्: (as) Sadyojāta, the ‘newly-manifest’ face/aspect of Śiva

• महेश्वरम्: Maheśvara, the Great Lord (Pati)

• वामदेवम्: Vāmadeva, the auspicious leftward/beautiful aspect of Śiva

• महात्मानम्: great-souled, exalted

• पुराण-पुरुष-उत्तमम्: the Supreme Person who is primeval/ancient (Purāṇa) and highest (Uttama) among Puruṣas

Speaker

Sages (Ṛṣis) at Naimiṣāraṇya (addressing Sūta’s narration)

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Shiva (Maheshvara)
• Sadyojata
• Vamadeva

FAQs

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

It frames a key Shaiva inquiry: how Brahmā perceived Śiva’s manifest aspects (Sadyojāta and Vāmadeva), which underlies how the formless Pati becomes approachable through sacred form—central to Linga-upāsanā.

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

Śiva is identified as Maheśvara (Pati) and also as the Purāṇa-Puruṣottama—transcendent and primeval, yet capable of immediate manifestation as distinct divine aspects (Sadyojāta, Vāmadeva) for revelation to beings like Brahmā.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Implicitly, it points to Pañcabrahma-oriented contemplation (especially Sadyojāta/Vāmadeva) used in Shaiva mantra-upāsanā and Pāśupata-style meditation to recognize the Lord (Pati) beyond the bonds (Pāśa) of created cognition.