Shloka 59

Adhyaya 61 — ग्रह-नक्षत्र-स्थाननिर्णयः

Cosmic Abodes of Luminaries and the Shaiva Order of Time

Devanagari script

बुद्धिपूर्वं भगवता कल्पादौ सम्प्रवर्तितः स आश्रयो ऽभिमानी च सर्वस्य ज्योतिरात्मकः

Transliteration

buddhipūrvaṃ bhagavatā kalpādau sampravartitaḥ sa āśrayo 'bhimānī ca sarvasya jyotirātmakaḥ

Translation

Zu Beginn des Kalpa ließ der erhabene Herr zuerst Buddhi, die kosmische Intelligenz, hervortreten. Danach erscheint das Prinzip, das zur Stütze von allem wird, das die „Ichheit“ (abhimāna) annimmt und als lichtvolle Essenz (jyotis) alles durchdringt.

Word by Word

• बुद्धिपूर्वम्: first as Buddhi (cosmic intelligence)

• भगवता: by the Blessed Lord (Pati, Śiva)

• कल्पादौ: at the beginning of the aeon

• सम्प्रवर्तितः: was set in motion/manifested

• सः: that (principle)

• आश्रयः: support/substratum

• अभिमानी: possessor of ‘I’-sense, ego-principle

• च: and

• सर्वस्य: of all

• ज्योतिरात्मकः: of the nature of light/luminous essence

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the cosmological teaching as received in the Purana’s lineage)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It frames the Linga as the sign of the supreme Jyotis (luminous reality) that supports all tattvas; worship of the Linga is thus worship of the substratum beyond Buddhi and abhimāna.

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

Shiva is implied as the Bhagavan who initiates manifestation and whose essence is Jyotis—He is Pati, the ultimate support and illuminator of all principles, while the ‘I’-sense belongs to the evolutes, not to the transcendent Lord.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

A key Pāśupata-Yogic takeaway is to observe and dissolve abhimāna (egoic identification) through meditation on the inner jyotis while performing Linga-pūjā as contemplation of the all-supporting reality.