Shloka 34

Adhyaya 70: आदिसर्गः—महत्-अहङ्कार-तन्मात्रा-भूतसृष्टिः, ब्रह्माण्डावरणम्, प्रजासर्गः, त्रिमूर्ति-शैवाधिष्ठानम्

Devanagari script

ज्योतिश्चापि विकुर्वाणं रसमात्रं ससर्ज ह सम्भवन्ति ततो ह्यापस् ता वै सर्वरसात्मिकाः

Transliteration

jyotiścāpi vikurvāṇaṃ rasamātraṃ sasarja ha sambhavanti tato hyāpas tā vai sarvarasātmikāḥ

Translation

That primordial Light (jyotis), by transforming itself, brought forth the mere principle of taste and essence (rasa-mātra). From that indeed the Waters (āpas) came into being—those Waters are verily of the very nature of all tastes and all essences.

Word by Word

• jyotiḥ: primordial light, luminous principle

• ca api: and also

• vikurvāṇam: transforming, modifying itself

• rasa-mātram: the mere essence/principle of taste (rasa-tattva)

• sasarja: created, emitted

• ha: indeed (particle)

• sambhavanti: come into being, arise

• tataḥ: from that

• hi: indeed

• āpaḥ: the Waters (cosmic water principle)

• tāḥ: those

• vai: verily

• sarva-rasa-ātmikāḥ: whose essence is all rasa (all tastes/essences)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the cosmic creation sequence as taught in the Linga Purana)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It grounds Shiva-puja in cosmology: water used in abhiṣeka is not merely ritual material but the cosmic āpas born from rasa, a manifestation within Shiva’s luminous (jyoti) self-transformation.

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

Shiva is indicated as the primordial Jyoti that can manifest tattvas without losing transcendence—Pati remains the source, while rasa and āpas arise as evolutes within the field of creation.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Ritually, it supports jalābhiṣeka and offering of rasa (essences) in Shiva-puja; yogically, it points to tattva-viveka—seeing sensory rasa and elemental āpas as pasha-bound manifestations rather than the Self (Pati).