Shloka 55

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

Devanagari script

सबाह्याभ्यन्तरं चैव सबाह्याभ्यन्तरस्थितम् आदिमध्यान्तरहितम् आनन्दस्यापि कारणम्

Transliteration

sabāhyābhyantaraṃ caiva sabāhyābhyantarasthitam ādimadhyāntarahitam ānandasyāpi kāraṇam

Translation

Jenes (Höchste) ist zugleich äußerlich und innerlich und weilt als die innewohnende Wirklichkeit alles Äußeren und Inneren. Ohne Anfang, ohne Mitte, ohne Ende—wahrlich ist Es Ursache und Grund des Glückseligen (ānanda).

Word by Word

• sa-bāhya-abhyantaram: having (the nature of) both outer and inner

• ca eva: and indeed

• sa-bāhya-abhyantara-sthitam: abiding/established in both the external and internal

• ādi-madhya-anta-rahitam: devoid of beginning, middle, and end

• ānandasyāpi: even of bliss (ānanda)

• kāraṇam: the cause, source, ground

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Linga’s supreme nature within the Purva-Bhaga discourse)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It frames the Linga as the sign (liṅga) of Pati—Shiva who pervades both the outer cosmos and the inner self—so worship is not mere external ritual but recognition of the same reality within and without.

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

Shiva-tattva is described as all-pervading (inside and outside), transcending time and limitation (without beginning, middle, or end), and as the causal ground of ānanda—bliss that arises when Pashu’s bondage (pāśa) is loosened by grace and knowledge.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The verse supports a Pashupata-style inner-outer discipline: external Linga-puja aligned with inward contemplation of Shiva as the indweller, cultivating steady awareness of Pati beyond temporal divisions.