Shloka 43

Adhyaya 70: आदिसर्गः—महत्-अहङ्कार-तन्मात्रा-भूतसृष्टिः, ब्रह्माण्डावरणम्, प्रजासर्गः, त्रिमूर्ति-शैवाधिष्ठानम्

Devanagari script

आकाशं शब्दमात्रं च स्पर्शमात्रं समाविशत् द्विगुणस्तु ततो वायुः शब्दस्पर्शात्मको ऽभवत्

Transliteration

ākāśaṃ śabdamātraṃ ca sparśamātraṃ samāviśat dviguṇastu tato vāyuḥ śabdasparśātmako 'bhavat

Translation

من الصوتِ اللطيفِ وحده نشأ الآكاشا (ākāśa). وحين دخل فيه المبدأُ اللطيفُ للمسّ (sparśa)، تجلّى الفايو (vāyu) ذا صفتين: الصوتِ واللمس.

Word by Word

• आकाशम्: ether/space-element

• शब्दमात्रम्: the subtle principle of sound alone (śabda-tanmātra)

• च: and

• स्पर्शमात्रम्: the subtle principle of touch alone (sparśa-tanmātra)

• समाविशत्: entered/pervaded

• द्विगुणः: having two qualities

• तु: indeed/then

• ततः: from that/thereafter

• वायुः: air/wind-element

• शब्दस्पर्शात्मकः: of the nature of sound and touch

• अभवत्: became/manifested

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the cosmology of manifestation within the Linga Purana tradition)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It explains the graded emergence of the elements (ākāśa → vāyu) from tanmātras; Linga worship points the devotee back from these manifest layers to Pati (Shiva), the source beyond the tattvas.

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

Shiva-tattva is implied as the transcendent Pati who causes orderly manifestation; the verse describes the dependent tattvas (elements and tanmātras) that arise within His power, not as independent realities.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

A contemplative tattva-viveka used in Shaiva/Pashupata-aligned sadhana: meditating on the elements’ qualities (sound, touch) to withdraw awareness from gross bhutas toward the subtle and ultimately toward Shiva.