Shloka 25

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

Devanagari script

तवापराधो नास्त्यत्र मम मायाकृतं त्विदम् शृणु सत्यं चतुर्वक्त्र सर्वदेवेश्वरो ह्ययम्

Transliteration

tavāparādho nāstyatra mama māyākṛtaṃ tvidam śṛṇu satyaṃ caturvaktra sarvadeveśvaro hyayam

Translation

Hier trifft dich keine Schuld; dies ist wahrlich durch Meine Māyā bewirkt. Höre die Wahrheit, o Viergesichtiger: Er ist in Wahrheit der Herr aller Götter.

Word by Word

• तव (tava): of you

• अपराधः (aparādhaḥ): offence, fault

• न (na): not

• अस्ति (asti): is

• अत्र (atra): here

• मम (mama): of me, My

• माया-कृतम् (māyā-kṛtam): produced by Māyā, caused by divine veiling power

• तु (tu): indeed

• इदम् (idam): this

• शृणु (śṛṇu): hear

• सत्यम् (satyam): the truth

• चतुर्वक्त्र (caturvaktra): O four-faced (Brahmā)

• सर्व-देव-ईश्वरः (sarva-deva-īśvaraḥ): Lord of all gods

• हि (hi): indeed, surely

• अयम् (ayam): this one (He).

Speaker

Shiva (as the Supreme Pati) addressing Brahma

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Brahma

FAQs

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

It establishes that the awe and confusion around the Liṅga’s manifestation is not a mortal error but Shiva’s Māyā, directing the devotee to recognize the Liṅga as the sign of the Supreme Pati, Lord over all devas.

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

Shiva is affirmed as Sarvadeveśvara—the sovereign of all divine powers—whose Māyā can veil even exalted beings, indicating His transcendence over the deva-order and His status as the ultimate Pati.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The key practice is tattva-jñāna oriented devotion: discerning Pati beyond Māyā (pāśa) and surrendering the ego of doership—an inner prerequisite for Pāśupata-aligned Liṅga-pūjā.