Shloka 73

एकार्णव-सृष्टिक्रमः, ब्रह्म-विष्णु-परस्परप्रवेशः, शिवस्य आगमनं च

Devanagari script

एष बीजी भवान्बीजम् अहं योनिः सनातनः स एवमुक्तो विश्वात्मा ब्रह्मा विष्णुमपृच्छत

Transliteration

eṣa bījī bhavānbījam ahaṃ yoniḥ sanātanaḥ sa evamukto viśvātmā brahmā viṣṇumapṛcchata

Translation

«هو حاملُ البذرة؛ وأنتَ البذرة؛ وأنا الرحمُ الأزلي.» فلما خوطِبَ هكذا، سأل براهما—ذاتُ الكون—فيشنو من جديد.

Word by Word

• eṣaḥ: this (One, i.e., the supreme principle)

• bījī: the bearer of seed, source of potency

• bhavān: you

• bījam: the seed, causal principle

• aham: I

• yoniḥ: womb, matrix, generative ground

• sanātanaḥ: eternal

• saḥ: he (Brahmā)

• evam: thus

• uktaḥ: having been spoken to/addressed

• viśvātmā: the soul/self of the universe, cosmic self

• brahmā: Brahmā

• viṣṇum: Viṣṇu

• apṛcchata: asked, inquired

Speaker

Suta (narrating an internal dialogue in which Brahma speaks and then questions Vishnu)

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Vishnu

FAQs

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

It frames creation through the bīja–yoni symbolism that underlies Liṅga theology: the transcendent Pati as the ultimate seed-bearer, with manifest powers functioning as seed and womb—supporting Liṅga worship as reverence for the causal source beyond merely worldly generation.

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

By implication, Shiva-tattva is the bījī—the supreme possessor of generative potency—beyond Brahmā and Viṣṇu’s roles. In Shaiva Siddhanta terms, Pati remains the independent cause, while other principles operate dependently within his śakti.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

A contemplative (dhyāna) takeaway: meditate on the causal triad—seed-bearer, seed, and womb—then transcend them by fixing awareness on Pati (the supreme source), a core orientation aligned with Pāśupata-style inward inquiry rather than an external rite alone.