Shloka 61

स्वेच्छाविग्रहसंभव-प्रतिष्ठाफलवर्णनम् (विविधशिवमूर्तिप्रतिष्ठा, लोक-फल, शिवसायुज्य)

Devanagari script

व्योम्नि कुर्यात् तथा लिङ्गं ब्रह्माणं हंसरूपिणम् विष्णुं वराहरूपेण लिङ्गस्याधस्त्वधोमुखम्

Transliteration

vyomni kuryāt tathā liṅgaṃ brahmāṇaṃ haṃsarūpiṇam viṣṇuṃ varāharūpeṇa liṅgasyādhastvadhomukham

Translation

One should visualize the Liṅga in the open sky of consciousness: Brahmā above as the swan-formed principle, and Viṣṇu below as the boar-formed principle—beneath the Liṅga, facing downward. Thus the seeker contemplates the cosmic order centered on the Liṅga as Pati (Śiva), with the functions of creation and preservation arranged around it.

Word by Word

• व्योम्नि (vyomni): in the sky / in the ether

• कुर्यात् (kuryāt): one should make / one should visualize

• तथा (tathā): likewise / in that manner

• लिङ्गम् (liṅgam): the Liṅga (Śiva’s emblem)

• ब्रह्माणम् (brahmāṇam): Brahmā

• हंसरूपिणम् (haṁsarūpiṇam): having the form of a swan

• विष्णुम् (viṣṇum): Viṣṇu

• वराहरूपेण (varāharūpeṇa): in the form of a boar

• लिङ्गस्य (liṅgasya): of the Liṅga

• अधस्त्व् (adhastv): below / beneath

• अधोमुखम् (adhomukham): facing downward

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva-oriented worship/meditation instructions within the Purva-Bhaga discourse)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Vishnu
• Brahma

FAQs

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

It gives a dhyāna-krama (visualization method) where the Liṅga is the central Pati-tattva, while Brahmā and Viṣṇu are contemplated as functional powers (creation and preservation) positioned relative to the Liṅga.

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

Śiva is implied as the axis and source—beyond the limited roles of Brahmā and Viṣṇu—because the Liṅga stands as the transcendent center around which cosmic functions are arranged.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Liṅga-dhyāna (meditative visualization) used in Śaiva arcana, aligning the practitioner’s awareness (vyoman/ākāśa) with the Liṅga as Pati, aiding release of the paśu from pāśa through focused contemplation.