Shloka 46

Devanagari script

अव्यक्तेनावृतस्तद्वन्महानित्येवमास्तिकैः । ब्रह्माण्डमिति संप्रोक्तमाचार्य्यैर्मुनिसत्तम

Transliteration

avyaktenāvṛtastadvanmahānityevamāstikaiḥ | brahmāṇḍamiti saṃproktamācāryyairmunisattama

Translation

O Bester der Weisen, auch das Große (das kosmische Ei) ist vom Unmanifesten (avyakta) umhüllt. Darum haben die theistischen Lehrer es als „Brahmāṇḍa“ verkündet, das kosmische Ei Brahmās.

Word by Word

• अव्यक्तेन: by the unmanifest (principle)
• अव्यक्तेन: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अव्यक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण/Instrumental), एकवचन — Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• आवृतः: covered, enveloped
• आवृतः: कर्मणि-विशेषण (Predicate adjective in passive/कर्मणि)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ-√वृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Past passive participle, Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तद्वत्: likewise, similarly
• तद्वत्: विशेषण (Adverbial qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद्वत् (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक-निष्पन्न)
• Form: अव्यय, तुलनार्थक (adverb of comparison)

• महान्: great
• महान्: विशेष्य-विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• इति: thus
• इति: सम्बन्ध (Quotation marker/उद्धरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, इत्यादि-उद्धरणसूचक (quotative particle)

• एवम्: in this way
• एवम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकारवाचक (adverb of manner)

• आस्तिकैः: by the believers (theists)
• आस्तिकैः: कर्ता (Agent in passive/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आस्तिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण/Instrumental), बहुवचन — Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• ब्रह्माण्डम्: the cosmic egg (universe)
• ब्रह्माण्डम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्म + अण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म/Accusative), एकवचन — Neuter, Accusative, Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (ब्रह्मणः अण्डम्)

• इति: as
• इति: सम्बन्ध (Quotation marker/उद्धरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, उद्धरणसूचक (quotative particle)

• सम्प्रोक्तम्: has been declared (as)
• सम्प्रोक्तम्: क्रिया (Predicate in passive/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-√प्रच्/प्रवच् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — Past passive participle used predicatively: “has been declared/called”

• आचार्यैः: by the teachers
• आचार्यैः: कर्ता (Agent in passive/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आचार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण/Instrumental), बहुवचन — Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• मुनिसत्तम: O best of sages
• मुनिसत्तम: सम्बोधन (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन — Masculine, Vocative, Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (मुनीनां सत्तमः)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: cosmic egg (brahmāṇḍa) defined as mahat enclosed by avyakta

Characters & Entities

• Brahma

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in the Shiva Purana?

It teaches that the manifest universe (Brahmāṇḍa) is wrapped by the Avyakta—subtle Māyā/Prakṛti—so liberation requires turning from outer effects to the transcendent Pati (Śiva) who is beyond both manifest and unmanifest.

How does this verse relate to the worship of the Linga or Saguna Shiva?

Since the cosmos is veiled by the Unmanifest, the Linga functions as a sacred, graspable focus within the manifest realm that leads the devotee beyond Māyā toward Śiva, the supreme reality who is not contained by the Brahmāṇḍa.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Contemplate the Avyakta veil during japa of the Panchākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), using Linga-dhyāna to withdraw attention from cosmic appearances and seek the inner presence of Śiva beyond Prakṛti.