Shloka 45

Adhyaya 17: लिङ्गोद्भव—ब्रह्मविष्ण्वहङ्कार-शमनं, ओंकार-प्रादुर्भावः, मन्त्र-तत्त्वं च

Devanagari script

सत्वरं सर्वयत्नेन तस्यान्तं ज्ञातुमिच्छया श्रान्तो ह्यदृष्ट्वा तस्यान्तम् अहङ्कारादधोगतः

Transliteration

satvaraṃ sarvayatnena tasyāntaṃ jñātumicchayā śrānto hyadṛṣṭvā tasyāntam ahaṅkārādadhogataḥ

Translation

Hastening with every effort, desiring to know its limit, he grew weary; and, not beholding that limit, he fell downward—brought low by his own egoism.

Word by Word

• satvaram: swiftly, in haste

• sarva-yatnena: with every effort

• tasya: of that (Liṅga/column of light)

• antam: the end, limit

• jñātum: to know

• icchayā: with the desire

• śrāntaḥ: exhausted, weary

• hi: indeed

• adṛṣṭvā: not seeing, not finding

• tasya antam: its limit

• ahaṅkārāt: due to egoism/pride

• adhogataḥ: went downward, fell below

Speaker

Sūta (narrating the Brahmā–Viṣṇu encounter with the infinite Liṅga)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Brahma

FAQs

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

It teaches that the Liṅga signifies Shiva’s limitless nature; worship is not about “measuring” the Absolute, but surrendering ego (ahaṅkāra) and approaching Pati with devotion.

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

By showing that the end of the divine column cannot be found, it points to Shiva as Ananta (endless) and beyond the grasp of limited intellect—transcending even cosmic authorities.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

A key Pāśupata-Yogic takeaway is humility (nirahaṅkāra) and recognition of limitation; without this, the paśu remains bound by pāśa and “falls” into lower states of consciousness.