Shloka 1

Adhyaya 23: श्वेत-लोहित-पीत-कृष्ण-विश्व-कल्पेषु रुद्रस्वरूप-गायत्री-तत्त्ववर्णनम्

Devanagari script

सूत उवाच तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा ब्रह्मणो भगवान् भवः ब्रह्मरूपी प्रबोधार्थं ब्रह्माणं प्राह सस्मितम्

Transliteration

sūta uvāca tasya tadvacanaṃ śrutvā brahmaṇo bhagavān bhavaḥ brahmarūpī prabodhārthaṃ brahmāṇaṃ prāha sasmitam

Translation

Sūta sprach: Als der erhabene Herr Bhava (Śiva) diese Worte Brahmās vernahm, nahm er zum Zwecke der Erweckung Brahmās die Gestalt Brahmās an und sprach mit sanftem Lächeln zu ihm.

Word by Word

• सूत उवाच: Sūta said

• तस्य: of him/that (Brahmā)

• तद्वचनम्: those words/speech

• श्रुत्वा: having heard

• ब्रह्मणः: of Brahmā

• भगवान्: the Blessed Lord

• भवः: Bhava (Śiva)

• ब्रह्मरूपी: having the form of Brahmā

• प्रबोधार्थम्: for the sake of awakening/illumination

• ब्रह्माणम्: to Brahmā

• प्राह: said/spoke

• सस्मितम्: with a smile/gently smiling

Speaker

Suta

Characters & Entities

• Suta
• Brahma
• Shiva (Bhava)

FAQs

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

It establishes Śiva (Bhava) as the supreme instructor (Pati) who awakens even Brahmā; Linga-worship is thus framed as devotion to the highest consciousness that illumines creation itself.

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

Śiva-tattva is shown as sovereign and compassionate: He can assume forms (here, Brahma-rūpī) and bestow prabodha (awakening), indicating transcendence over roles like creator while guiding them from within.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The verse highlights prabodha—inner awakening through the Lord’s grace—an essential aim of Pāśupata-oriented sādhanā, where knowledge loosens pāśa (bondage) for the paśu (soul) under Pati’s guidance.