Shloka 132

ध्यानयज्ञः, संसार-विष-निरूपणम्, पाशुपतयोगः, परा-अपरा विद्या, चतुर्वस्था-विचारः (अध्यायः ८६)

Devanagari script

आप्यं द्रवमिति प्रोक्तं वर्णाख्यो वह्निरुच्यते यत्संचरति तद्वायुः सुषिरं यद्द्विजोत्तमाः

Transliteration

āpyaṃ dravamiti proktaṃ varṇākhyo vahnirucyate yatsaṃcarati tadvāyuḥ suṣiraṃ yaddvijottamāḥ

Translation

Water is declared to be the principle of fluidity; fire is spoken of as that which manifests colour and form. That which moves about is called Wind; and that which is hollow—O best of the twice-born—is Space (ākāśa).

Word by Word

• āpyaṃ: the watery principle (āpas-tattva)

• dravam: fluidity/liquidity

• iti: thus

• proktam: said/declared

• varṇa-ākhyaḥ: named/characterised by colour (varṇa)

• vahniḥ: fire

• ucyate: is called/is said

• yat: that which

• saṃcarati: moves/circulates

• tat: that

• vāyuḥ: wind/air

• suṣiram: hollow/open/porous

• yat: that which

• dvija-uttamāḥ: O best of the twice-born (brahmins/sages)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating a tattva-teaching within the Linga Purana discourse)

FAQs

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

It identifies the defining marks (lakṣaṇas) of the elements, supporting bhūta-śuddhi and pañcabhūta contemplation used to purify the devotee’s body-mind before Linga-pūjā, so the Pashu approaches Pati with reduced pāśa (bondage).

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

By classifying water, fire, wind, and space through their functions, it implies that these bhūtas are knowable effects within prakṛti, while Shiva as Pati is the transcendent ground that illumines and governs them without being limited by their properties.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Bhūta-viveka and bhūta-śuddhi (elemental discernment and purification), a Pāśupata-aligned preparatory discipline for mantra-japa, prāṇāyāma, and focused Linga-upāsanā.