Shloka 136

Adhyaya 72 — Puradāha: Rudra’s Cosmic Chariot, Pāśupata-Vrata, and Brahmā’s Shiva-Stuti

Devanagari script

चतुःषष्ट्यात्मतत्त्वाय पुनरष्टविधाय ते गुणाष्टकवृतायैव गुणिने निर्गुणाय ते

Transliteration

catuḥṣaṣṭyātmatattvāya punaraṣṭavidhāya te guṇāṣṭakavṛtāyaiva guṇine nirguṇāya te

Translation

চৌষট্টি আত্ম-তত্ত্বৰূপ পৰমাত্মাক প্ৰণাম; পুনৰ অষ্টবিধ ৰূপে প্ৰকাশিত তোমাকো নমস্কাৰ। অষ্টগুণে আবৃত, গুণৰ অধিপতি, আৰু গুণাতীত—পাশৰ পৰা পশুক মুক্ত কৰা পতি শিৱক প্ৰণাম।

Word by Word

• चतुःषष्टि (catuḥṣaṣṭi): sixty-four

• आत्मतत्त्वाय (ātma-tattvāya): to the Self-principle / to the reality of the Self

• पुनः (punaḥ): again

• अष्टविधाय (aṣṭa-vidhāya): to the eightfold form / eightfold manifestation

• ते (te): to You

• गुणाष्टक (guṇāṣṭaka): the eight guṇas

• वृताय (vṛtāya): enveloped, covered

• एव (eva): indeed

• गुणिने (guṇine): to the possessor/lord of qualities

• निर्गुणाय (nirguṇāya): to the quality-less, beyond attributes

• ते (te): to You

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating a Shiva-stuti within the Linga Purana discourse)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It frames the Liṅga as Shiva’s supreme reality: immanent in manifest principles (tattvas and guṇas) yet ultimately nirguṇa, guiding worship from outer form to inner realization.

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

Shiva is simultaneously the ground of multiple tattva-systems (sixty-four and eightfold), the master of qualities, and also guṇātīta—beyond all attributes—thus Pati who can cut the bonds (pāśa) of the soul (paśu).

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

It implies Pāśupata-oriented contemplation: meditate on Shiva as both saguna (accessible through Liṅga-pūjā) and nirguṇa (realized through tattva-viveka and inner absorption).