Shloka 4

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

Devanagari script

मत्प्रसूता च देवेशी श्वेताङ्गा श्वेतलोहिता श्वेतवर्णा तदा ह्यासीद् गायत्री ब्रह्मसंज्ञिता

Transliteration

matprasūtā ca deveśī śvetāṅgā śvetalohitā śvetavarṇā tadā hyāsīd gāyatrī brahmasaṃjñitā

Translation

«تلك الإلهة، سيّدة الآلهة، وُلِدت مني. بيضاء الأعضاء، بيضاء تميل إلى حمرةٍ لطيفة، ذات لونٍ أبيض متلألئ—هكذا ظهرت آنذاك باسم غاياتري، مشهورةً بأنها شاكتي براهما نفسه»۔

Word by Word

• mat-prasūtā: born from me

• ca: and

• deva-īśī: the Goddess who is the ruler of the gods

• śveta-aṅgā: white-limbed, radiant-bodied

• śveta-lohitā: white with a reddish/rosy hue

• śveta-varṇā: of white complexion

• tadā: then

• hi: indeed

• āsīt: was/appeared

• gāyatrī: Gāyatrī (the sacred Vedic meter/deity)

• brahma-saṃjñitā: known as Brahmā’s (power/consort), bearing the name ‘Brahma’

Speaker

Sūta (narrating an internal creation account attributed to Brahmā)

Characters & Entities

• Gayatri
• Brahma

FAQs

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

It establishes mantra-śakti (Gāyatrī) as a luminous divine power arising within creation, implying that Vedic mantra supports the purity and efficacy of Śiva-worship and Linga-pūjā.

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

By presenting a sovereign Śakti (deveśī) as the radiance behind creation, the verse aligns with Śaiva Siddhānta’s view that Pati (Śiva) acts through Śakti—His inseparable power—while remaining the transcendent Lord beyond the manifested forms.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The verse points to Gāyatrī-japa and sattva-śuddhi (purification through luminous purity), foundational supports for disciplined pūjā and inner Pāśupata-oriented sādhanā.