Shloka 23

Adhyaya 17: लिङ्गोद्भव—ब्रह्मविष्ण्वहङ्कार-शमनं, ओंकार-प्रादुर्भावः, मन्त्र-तत्त्वं च

Devanagari script

भर्ता हर्ता भवान् अङ्गाद् अवतीर्णो ममाव्ययात् विस्मृतो ऽसि जगन्नाथं नारायणमनामयम्

Transliteration

bhartā hartā bhavān aṅgād avatīrṇo mamāvyayāt vismṛto 'si jagannāthaṃ nārāyaṇamanāmayam

Translation

Du bist der Erhalter und der Zurücknehmer; du bist aus meinem unvergänglichen Leib herabgestiegen—und doch hast du den Herrn der Welten, Nārāyaṇa, den Makellosen, Krankheitsfreien, vergessen.

Word by Word

• भर्ता (bhartā): sustainer

• हर्ता (hartā): withdrawer/destroyer

• भवान् (bhavān): you (honorific)

• अङ्गात् (aṅgāt): from (my) body/limb

• अवतीर्णः (avatīrṇaḥ): descended/incarnated

• मम (mama): from me/of me

• अव्ययात् (avyayāt): from the imperishable (source)

• विस्मृतः असि (vismṛtaḥ asi): you have forgotten

• जगन्नाथम् (jagannātham): Lord of the world(s)

• नारायणम् (nārāyaṇam): Nārāyaṇa

• अनामयम् (anāmayam): free from disease/blemish, stainless

Speaker

Brahma (within Suta’s narration to the sages)

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Vishnu (Narayana)

FAQs

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

It frames cosmic authority (sustaining and withdrawing power) as subordinate to remembering the supreme Lord, preparing the narrative ground where the Linga manifests as the transcendent Pati beyond limited roles.

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

By implication, it distinguishes functional cosmic offices (bhartā/hartā) from the highest tattva: the Lord beyond forgetfulness and limitation—pointing toward the Shaiva Siddhanta emphasis on Pati as the supreme, stainless reality revealed through the Linga.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The verse highlights smaraṇa (remembrance) of the supreme Lord as foundational—an inner discipline that supports later Pashupata-oriented worship where japa, dhyāna, and Linga-upāsanā remove pāśa (bondage) from the paśu (soul).