Shloka 59

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

Devanagari script

एतैरावरणैरण्डं सप्तभिः प्राकृतैर् वृतम् एता आवृत्य चान्योन्यम् अष्टौ प्रकृतयः स्थिताः

Transliteration

etairāvaraṇairaṇḍaṃ saptabhiḥ prākṛtair vṛtam etā āvṛtya cānyonyam aṣṭau prakṛtayaḥ sthitāḥ

Translation

By these seven primordial (prākṛta) enclosures the cosmic egg (aṇḍa) is surrounded. Each of them, mutually covering the others in succession, stands established as the eightfold Prakṛti.

Word by Word

• एतैः (etaiḥ): by these

• आवरणैः (āvaraṇaiḥ): enclosures, coverings

• अण्डम् (aṇḍam): the cosmic egg, universe-embryo

• सप्तभिः (saptabhiḥ): by seven

• प्राकृतैः (prākṛtaiḥ): primordial, of Prakṛti

• वृतम् (vṛtam): enclosed, surrounded

• एताः (etāḥ): these (sheaths)

• आवृत्य (āvṛtya): having covered

• च (ca): and

• अन्योन्यम् (anyonyam): one another, mutually

• अष्टौ (aṣṭau): eight

• प्रकृतयः (prakṛtayaḥ): primal natures/principles (Prakṛtis)

• स्थिताः (sthitāḥ): are established, remain.

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 the universe as layered by prākṛta coverings; in Linga worship, the devotee (pashu) symbolically pierces these layers through jñāna and pūjā, turning from Prakṛti to the transcendent Pati, Shiva.

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

By emphasizing that the cosmos is enclosed by Prakṛti’s layers, it implies Shiva-tattva as the unbounded reality beyond these coverings—Pati who is not confined by the eightfold Prakṛti and who grants release from pasha (bondage).

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

A tattva-oriented Pāśupata contemplation is suggested: meditating on successive coverings of Prakṛti and inwardly offering them into the Linga as a practice of dis-identification from pasha and reorientation to Shiva.