Shloka 32

Adhyaya 23: श्वेत-लोहित-पीत-कृष्ण-विश्व-कल्पेषु रुद्रस्वरूप-गायत्री-तत्त्ववर्णनम्

Devanagari script

अष्टाक्षरस्थितो लोकः स्थाने स्थाने तदक्षरम् भूर्भुवः स्वर्महश्चैव पादाश्चत्वार एव च

Transliteration

aṣṭākṣarasthito lokaḥ sthāne sthāne tadakṣaram bhūrbhuvaḥ svarmahaścaiva pādāścatvāra eva ca

Translation

العوالمُ قائمةٌ في المانترا ذاتِ الثماني مقاطع؛ وفي كلِّ مقامٍ يحضرُ ذلك الحرفُ غيرُ الفاني. بُهوḥ، بُهوڤهḥ، سْوَهḥ، ومَهَهḥ—فهذه حقًّا أقدامُه الأربعة (pāda).

Word by Word

• अष्टाक्षर-स्थितः: established in the eight-syllabled (mantra)

• लोकः: the cosmos/worlds

• स्थाने स्थाने: in each place/plane

• तत्-अक्षरम्: that imperishable syllable (akṣara, mantra-principle)

• भूः: Bhūḥ (earth-plane)

• भुवः: Bhuvaḥ (mid-region)

• स्वः: Svaḥ (heaven)

• महः: Mahaḥ (great/world of sages)

• च एव: and indeed

• पादाः: quarters/feet (pādas)

• चत्वारः: four

• एव: only/precisely

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Purva-Bhaga teaching to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It frames Linga-puja as worship of Shiva as the Akṣara (imperishable mantra-principle), teaching that the mantra is not merely recited but is the subtle support of all planes of existence—making japa and puja a direct alignment with Pati, the Lord.

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

Shiva-tattva is indicated as the ever-present Akṣara that permeates every sthāna (realm). In Shaiva Siddhanta terms, Pati remains transcendent yet immanent, pervading the worlds while not being limited by them.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Aṣṭākṣara-japa with cosmological nyāsa/bhāvanā is implied: the sādhaka contemplates the mantra’s four pādas as pervading Bhūḥ–Bhuvaḥ–Svaḥ–Mahaḥ, using mantra-awareness to loosen pāśa (bondage) over the paśu (individual soul) through Pashupata-oriented discipline.