Shloka 8

मेरुवर्णनम्—प्रमाण, दिग्विभाग, देवपुरी-विमान-निवासाः

Devanagari script

पूर्वतः पद्मरागाभो दक्षिणे हेमसन्निभः पश्चिमे नीलसंकाश उत्तरे विद्रुमप्रभः

Transliteration

pūrvataḥ padmarāgābho dakṣiṇe hemasannibhaḥ paścime nīlasaṃkāśa uttare vidrumaprabhaḥ

Translation

To the east it shone like a ruby; to the south it appeared like gold; to the west it looked deep-blue; and to the north it blazed with the luster of coral—thus the sacred manifestation displayed its directional splendor, revealing the Lord (Pati) as the one Light that pervades all quarters.

Word by Word

• pūrvataḥ: in the east

• padmarāga-ābhaḥ: having the appearance/luster of ruby

• dakṣiṇe: in the south

• hema-sannibhaḥ: resembling gold

• paścime: in the west

• nīla-saṃkāśaḥ: appearing blue/dark-blue

• uttare: in the north

• vidruma-prabhaḥ: having the radiance of coral

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It frames the Linga as the one divine Light expressed through the four directions, guiding the devotee to worship Shiva as omnipresent and to consecrate space (dik) as sacred during puja.

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

Shiva is implied as Pati—the single, self-luminous Reality—whose radiance appears in diverse hues without losing unity, indicating transcendence that still pervades the manifest world.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Dik-oriented linga-dhyana: meditating on Shiva’s jyotis pervading east, south, west, and north—useful for dik-bandhana in puja and for Pashupata-style contemplation of the all-pervading Lord.