Shloka 41

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

Devanagari script

श्रोत्रं त्वक् चक्षुषी जिह्वा नासिका चैव पञ्चमी शब्दादीनामवाप्त्यर्थं बुद्धियुक्तानि तानि वै

Transliteration

śrotraṃ tvak cakṣuṣī jihvā nāsikā caiva pañcamī śabdādīnāmavāptyarthaṃ buddhiyuktāni tāni vai

Translation

The ear, the skin, the two eyes, the tongue, and the nose as the fifth—these are the five sense-faculties. Endowed with the guiding power of buddhi, they are meant to apprehend sound and the rest of the sense-objects.

Word by Word

• śrotram: ear (faculty of hearing)

• tvak: skin (faculty of touch)

• cakṣuṣī: the two eyes (faculty of sight)

• jihvā: tongue (faculty of taste/speech-organ)

• nāsikā: nose (faculty of smell)

• ca eva: and indeed

• pañcamī: the fifth

• śabda-ādīnām: of sound and the rest (touch, form, taste, smell)

• avāpti-artham: for the purpose of obtaining/apprehending

• buddhi-yuktāni: joined with/regulated by buddhi (intellect)

• tāni: those (faculties)

• vai: truly/indeed.

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the cosmological teaching within the Linga Purana discourse)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It frames why outer objects (sound, touch, form, taste, smell) captivate the pashu (bound soul); Linga-worship redirects the senses inward, placing them under buddhi and devotion to Pati (Shiva) so bondage (pāśa) is weakened.

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

By implication, Shiva-tattva is the transcendent Pati who is not limited to sensory grasping; the senses operate for objects only when guided by buddhi, whereas realization of Shiva requires turning beyond object-centered cognition toward inner awareness and grace.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Indriya-nigraha (restraint of the senses) foundational to Pashupata-oriented sadhana: disciplining the senses through japa, dhyana, and Linga-upasana so buddhi becomes sattvic and fit for Shiva-anusandhana (contemplation of Shiva).