Shloka 10

उमामहेश्वरव्रतं—पञ्चाक्षरमन्त्रस्य माहात्म्यं, न्यासः, जपविधिः, सदाचारः, विनियोगः

Devanagari script

अहमेको द्विधाप्यासं प्रकृत्यात्मप्रभेदतः स तु नारायणः शेते देवो मायामयीं तनुम्

Transliteration

ahameko dvidhāpyāsaṃ prakṛtyātmaprabhedataḥ sa tu nārāyaṇaḥ śete devo māyāmayīṃ tanum

Translation

مع أنّي واحدٌ، فقد صرتُ كأنّي اثنان بتمييزِ بركريتي (Prakṛti) عن الذات (Ātman). ثم إنّ ذلك الإله نارايانا (Nārāyaṇa) يرقد في سكون اليوغا، متقمّصًا جسدًا مؤلَّفًا من المايا (Māyā).

Word by Word

• अहम् (aham): I

• एकः (ekaḥ): one, non-dual

• द्विधा (dvidhā): in two ways, as two

• अपि (api): even/indeed

• आसम् (āsam): became/was

• प्रकृति (prakṛti): primordial nature, material matrix

• आत्म (ātma): Self, consciousness-principle

• प्रभेदतः (prabhedataḥ): due to differentiation/distinction

• सः (saḥ): he/that

• तु (tu): then/indeed

• नारायणः (nārāyaṇaḥ): Nārāyaṇa (Vishnu as cosmic indweller)

• शेते (śete): lies, rests (in yoga-nidrā)

• देवः (devaḥ): the luminous Lord

• मायामयीम् (māyā-mayīm): made of Māyā, constituted by cosmic illusion/power

• तनुम् (tanum): body, form

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Purāṇic teaching; internal voice presented as the cosmic Lord’s declaration)

Characters & Entities

• Narayana
• Deva
• Prakriti
• Atman
• Maya

FAQs

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

It grounds Linga-upāsanā in non-duality: the One Lord manifests as consciousness (Ātman/Śiva-tattva) and power/nature (Prakṛti/Śakti), so worship of the Linga points beyond form to the Pati who pervades both.

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

Shiva-tattva is implied as the One reality that appears as two principles—conscious Self and Prakṛti—while remaining transcendent; Māyā is a śakti through which manifestation occurs without diminishing the Lord’s non-dual sovereignty as Pati.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The verse points to yogic repose (yoga-nidrā/samādhi-like resting) and contemplation of Māyā-śakti—useful as a dhyāna in Linga-pūjā: meditate on the Lord as beyond Pāśa (bondage) while governing Prakṛti for the sake of the paśu’s liberation.