Shloka 78

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

Devanagari script

यस्य मायाविधिज्ञस्य अगम्यगहनस्य च पुरा लिङ्गोद्भवं बीजं प्रथमं त्वादिसर्गिकम्

Transliteration

yasya māyāvidhijñasya agamyagahanasya ca purā liṅgodbhavaṃ bījaṃ prathamaṃ tvādisargikam

Translation

Von Ihm, der die Ordnung der Māyā kennt, unergründlich und tief: Im Anfang wurde der Same, der als Liṅga hervortrat, zum allerersten Prinzip der uranfänglichen Schöpfung.

Word by Word

• yasya: of whom (of that Lord)

• māyā: Māyā, veiling power

• vidhi: ordinance, rule, cosmic law

• jñasya: of the knower

• agamyā: inaccessible, not reachable by mind/senses

• gahanasya: deep, inscrutable

• ca: and

• purā: formerly, in the beginning

• liṅga-udbhavam: arisen as the Liṅga, Liṅga-born manifestation

• bījam: seed, causal germ

• prathamam: first

• tu: indeed

• ādi-sargikam: belonging to the primordial creation (ādi-sṛṣṭi).

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Linga-udbhava account to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It frames the Liṅga as the primordial causal “seed” (bīja) of manifestation—worship of the Liṅga is thus worship of Shiva as the first principle behind creation, not merely a symbol.

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

Shiva is presented as agamyagahana—beyond the reach of senses and intellect—yet as māyā-vidhi-jña, the Lord who governs Māyā’s lawful operation, indicating Pati who transcends and directs the bonds (pāśa) affecting the pashu (soul).

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

A key takeaway aligns with Pāśupata-oriented contemplation: meditate on the Liṅga as bīja (causal source) and on Shiva as the regulator of Māyā, using Liṅga-dhyāna to loosen pāśa (bondage) and orient the pashu toward Pati.