Shloka 30

अग्नित्रय-पितृवंश-रुद्रसृष्टि-वैराग्योपदेशः

Devanagari script

तमसा कालरुद्राख्यं रजसा कनकाण्डजम् सत्त्वेन सर्वगं विष्णुं निर्गुणत्वे महेश्वरम्

Transliteration

tamasā kālarudrākhyaṃ rajasā kanakāṇḍajam sattvena sarvagaṃ viṣṇuṃ nirguṇatve maheśvaram

Translation

بالتَّمَس يُعرَف باسم «كالارودرا»؛ وبالرَّجَس باسم «المولود من البيضة الذهبية» (براهما)؛ وبالسَّتْفَة باسم «فيشنو» الساري في كلّ مكان؛ وفي حقيقته النِّرغونية، المتعالية عن الصفات، هو «ماهيشڤارا»—البَتي، الربّ الأعلى المتجاوز للغونات.

Word by Word

• tamasā: by tamas (the guṇa of inertia/dissolution)

• kālarudrākhyaṃ: called Kālarudra (Rudra as Time)

• rajasā: by rajas (the guṇa of activity/creation)

• kanakāṇḍajam: the golden-egg-born (Hiraṇyagarbha/Brahmā)

• sattvena: by sattva (the guṇa of luminosity/preservation)

• sarvagaṃ: all-pervading

• viṣṇum: Viṣṇu

• nirguṇatve: in the state of being beyond guṇas/attributes

• maheśvaram: Maheśvara (the Great Lord, Śiva as Pati).

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Linga Purana doctrine to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Maheshvara
• Rudra
• Vishnu
• Brahma
• Hiranyagarbha

FAQs

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

It grounds Liṅga-pūjā in the highest theology: the Liṅga signifies Maheśvara as nirguṇa Pati, while Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Rudra are His guṇa-conditioned modes of cosmic function.

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

Śiva-tattva is presented as beyond the three guṇas (nirguṇa), yet capable of appearing through them as Time-Rudra (tamas), Hiraṇyagarbha/Brahmā (rajas), and all-pervading Viṣṇu (sattva)—showing Pati’s transcendence and immanence.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The takeaway aligns with Pāśupata orientation: meditate on the guṇa-transcendent Pati (Maheśvara) while recognizing guṇa-driven bondage (pāśa) in the pashu; worship the Liṅga as the nirguṇa support for liberation.