Shloka 31

एकार्णव-सृष्टिक्रमः, ब्रह्म-विष्णु-परस्परप्रवेशः, शिवस्य आगमनं च

Devanagari script

पद्मसूत्रानुसारेण चान्वपश्यत्पितामहः उज्जहारात्मनो रूपं पुष्कराच्चतुराननः

Transliteration

padmasūtrānusāreṇa cānvapaśyatpitāmahaḥ ujjahārātmano rūpaṃ puṣkarāccaturānanaḥ

Translation

Dem feinen Faden des Lotos folgend, schaute Pitāmaha (Brahmā) seinem Verlauf nach; dann zog der Viergesichtige seine eigene Gestalt aus dem Lotossee Puṣkara hervor und ließ sie erscheinen.

Word by Word

• padma-sūtra-anusāreṇa: according to/along the lotus-fibre

• ca: and

• anvapaśyat: he beheld/observed by following

• pitāmahaḥ: the Grandsire (Brahmā)

• ujjahāra: he brought forth/drew out

• ātmanaḥ: of himself, his own

• rūpam: form

• puṣkarāt: from Puṣkara (lotus-lake/lotus-seat)

• catur-ānanaḥ: the four-faced one (Brahmā)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Brahma’s emergence within the creation account)

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Padma (Lotus)
• Puṣkara

FAQs

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

It frames creation as a dependent emergence: Brahmā manifests by following a subtle principle (the lotus-filament), implying that all creative power is derived—ultimately grounded in Pati (Śiva) who later is revealed as the supreme source beyond secondary creation.

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

By implication, it shows Shiva-tattva as the unseen foundation of manifestation: Brahmā’s form arises through an ordered, subtle cause, pointing to a higher, prior reality (Pati) that enables sṛṣṭi while remaining transcendent to it.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The imagery of “following the lotus-filament” suggests yogic subtle perception—tracking the inner sutra (nāḍī-like principle) toward the source—aligned with Pāśupata contemplation that leads the paśu (soul) from effects to the supreme cause.