Shloka 31

अलिङ्ग-लिङ्ग-निरूपणं तथा प्राकृत-सृष्टिवर्णनम्

Devanagari script

तेजो दशगुणेनैव बाह्यतो वायुना वृतम् वायुर्दशगुणेनैव बाह्यतो नभसा वृतः

Transliteration

tejo daśaguṇenaiva bāhyato vāyunā vṛtam vāyurdaśaguṇenaiva bāhyato nabhasā vṛtaḥ

Translation

Fire (tejas) is outwardly enclosed by air (vāyu), tenfold greater; and air, in turn, is outwardly enclosed by space/ether (nabhas/ākāśa), tenfold greater. Thus the gross elements are successively veiled by subtler, more all-pervading sheaths within the Lord’s ordered creation.

Word by Word

• tejaḥ: fire, the element of radiance

• daśa-guṇena: by tenfold measure, ten times greater

• eva: indeed, precisely

• bāhyataḥ: from the outside, externally

• vāyunā: by air (instrumental)

• vṛtam: covered, enveloped

• vāyuḥ: air

• nabhasā: by space/ether (ākāśa)

• vṛtaḥ: covered, enclosed

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the cosmological teaching to the sages of Naimisharanya)

FAQs

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

It frames the cosmos as layered coverings (āvaraṇa) of the elements; Linga worship aims at piercing these veils so the pashu (soul) turns from gross enclosures toward Pati (Shiva), the subtlest and all-pervading reality.

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

By showing that each element is enclosed by a subtler, more pervasive principle, the verse implies a hierarchy of veiling; Shiva-tattva stands beyond all such coverings as the unconditioned Pati who is not enclosed by anything.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

It supports bhuta-śuddhi (elemental purification) in puja and yogic withdrawal (pratyāhāra/dhāraṇā), where the sādhaka mentally transcends earth-water-fire-air-space coverings to rest awareness in Shiva.