Shloka 9

प्रलय-तत्त्वलयः, नीललोहित-रुद्रः, अष्टमूर्तिस्तवः, एवं ब्रह्मणो वैराग्यम्

Devanagari script

ललाटमध्यं निर्भिद्य ब्रह्मणः पुरुषस्य तु पुत्रस्नेहमिति प्रोच्य स्त्रीपुंरूपो ऽभवत्तदा

Transliteration

lalāṭamadhyaṃ nirbhidya brahmaṇaḥ puruṣasya tu putrasnehamiti procya strīpuṃrūpo 'bhavattadā

Translation

ثمّ شقَّ وسطَ جبهةِ براهما، ذلك البوروشا الكوني، وقال: «هذا هو putra-sneha، تعلّقُ الوالد بالابن». فظهرت تلك القوّة في الحال بهيئةٍ تجمع المرأةَ والرجلَ معًا—إشارةً إلى الـpāśa، رباطِ التقييد الذي ينشأ داخل الخلق.

Word by Word

• ललाटमध्यं: the middle of the forehead

• निर्भिद्य: having split/pierced

• ब्रह्मणः: of Brahmā

• पुरुषस्य: of the Person (cosmic being)

• तु: indeed

• पुत्रस्नेहम्: affection for a son/filial attachment

• इति: thus

• प्रोच्य: having proclaimed/said

• स्त्रीपुंरूपः: having a female-and-male form (androgynous)

• अभवत्: became/arose

• तदा: then/at that time

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Purana to the sages of Naimisharanya; describing the inner cosmic event involving Brahma)

Characters & Entities

• Brahma

FAQs

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

It frames attachment (putra-sneha) as a form of pāśa (bondage) arising within creation; Linga worship is a Shaiva means to turn binding instincts into devotion and to reorient the pashu toward Pati (Shiva), the liberator.

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

By showing a power that can manifest as both woman and man, the verse points to the non-dual ground where Shiva and Shakti are inseparable; dualities of gender and relationship arise later as effects within prakṛti and bondage.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The takeaway aligns with Pāśupata discipline: identify putra-sneha as a pāśa, practice vairāgya and Shiva-bhakti, and use Linga-pūjā (with mantra and inner recollection of Pati) to purify relational clinging into liberating devotion.