Shloka 4

Adhyaya 4: अहोरात्र-युग-मन्वन्तर-कल्पमान तथा प्रलयान्ते सृष्ट्युपक्रमः

Devanagari script

रात्रौ सर्वे प्रलीयन्ते निशान्ते सम्भवन्ति च अहस्तु तस्य वैकल्पो रात्रिस्तादृग्विधा स्मृता

Transliteration

rātrau sarve pralīyante niśānte sambhavanti ca ahastu tasya vaikalpo rātristādṛgvidhā smṛtā

Translation

In jener “Nacht” lösen sich alle Wesen im Unmanifesten auf; am Ende der Nacht entstehen sie wieder. So ist die Abwechslung für Ihn—Tag und Nacht werden so verstanden: als Zyklen von Erscheinung und Rückaufnahme.

Word by Word

• रात्रौ (rātrau): in the night

• सर्वे (sarve): all (beings)

• प्रलीयन्ते (pralīyante): dissolve, are reabsorbed

• निशान्ते (niśānte): at the end of night

• सम्भवन्ति (sambhavanti): come into being, arise

• च (ca): and

• अहः (ahas): day

• तु (tu): indeed

• तस्य (tasya): of him/that (cosmic being, i.e., Brahmā’s measure of time)

• वैकल्पः (vaikalpaḥ): alternation, cyclical sequence

• रात्रिः (rātriḥ): night

• तादृग्विधा (tādṛgvidhā): of that kind, in that manner

• स्मृता (smṛtā): is remembered/declared (in the tradition)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Brahma

FAQs

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

It frames creation and dissolution as rhythmic cycles; Linga worship anchors the devotee (pashu) in Pati (Shiva), who remains steady while worlds arise and subside.

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

By describing universal reabsorption and re-manifestation, it implies a governing Reality beyond both—Shiva as Pati, the constant Lord who presides over kala (time) and the alternation of srishti and pralaya.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The takeaway is vairagya and contemplative steadiness: Pashupata-oriented practice trains the pashu to witness the rise and fall of phenomena without bondage (pasha), taking refuge in Shiva.