Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 33
त्रिमूर्तिसाम्यं तथा महेश्वरस्य परमार्थकारणत्वम् | Equality of the Trimūrti and Maheśvara as the Supreme Cause
अद्भिर्दशगुणाभिस्तु बाह्यतोण्डं समावृतम् । आपो दशगुणेनैव तेजसा बहिरावृताः
adbhirdaśaguṇābhistu bāhyatoṇḍaṃ samāvṛtam | āpo daśaguṇenaiva tejasā bahirāvṛtāḥ
Die äußere Hülle ist von Wassern umschlossen, zehnfach an Maß; und diese Wasser sind wiederum außen vom Feuer umschlossen, ebenfalls zehnfach.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pasha
Role: creative
Cosmic Event: sapta-āvaraṇa motif begins: successive tenfold elemental sheaths around the aṇḍa
FAQs
It depicts the universe as progressively enclosed by subtler and more powerful elemental layers, pointing to the bound soul’s (paśu) entanglement in pasha (limiting coverings) until knowledge and grace lead it toward Pati (Shiva), who transcends all coverings.
The Linga is revered as the axis of the cosmos and the sign of Shiva’s immanence within all tattvas; contemplating these cosmic coverings during Linga worship turns attention from external layers to the indwelling Lord who pervades and surpasses them.
A contemplative meditation (dhyāna) on the tattvas—earth, water, fire and their successive enclosures—paired with japa of the Panchakshara (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) to move awareness from the outer to the inner, toward Shiva.