Shloka 47

विष्णु-ब्रह्म-विवाद-वर्णनम्

Description of the Viṣṇu–Brahmā Dispute and Brahmā’s Confusion

Devanagari script

एतस्मिन्नंतरे लिंगमभवच्चावयोः पुरः । विवादशमनार्थं हि प्रबोधार्थं तथाऽऽवयोः

Transliteration

etasminnaṃtare liṃgamabhavaccāvayoḥ puraḥ | vivādaśamanārthaṃ hi prabodhārthaṃ tathā''vayoḥ

Translation

À cet instant même, un Liṅga se manifesta devant nous deux, afin d’apaiser la querelle et d’éveiller en chacun de nous la juste compréhension.

Word by Word

• etasmin: in this
• etasmin: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक; एकवचन, सप्तमी (7th/Locative)

• antare: in the interval/meanwhile
• antare: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: antara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; एकवचन, सप्तमी (7th/Locative)

• liṅgam: the Liṅga
• liṅgam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: liṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; एकवचन, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative)

• abhavat: appeared/was
• abhavat: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• āvayoḥ: of us two
• āvayoḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; द्विवचन, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive)

• puraḥ: in front
• puraḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/locative sense)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: puras (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (adverb: ‘in front/before’)

• vivāda-śamana-artham: for pacifying the dispute
• vivāda-śamana-artham: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/purpose)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vivāda (प्रातिपदिक) + śamana (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: हेत्वर्थे द्वितीया-एकवचन (accusative of purpose); समासान्त ‘-artham’ प्रयोगः (for the sake of)

• hi: indeed/for
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतौ/निश्चये अव्यय (particle: ‘indeed/for’)

• prabodha-artham: for (our) awakening/enlightenment
• prabodha-artham: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: prabodha (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: हेत्वर्थे द्वितीया-एकवचन (accusative of purpose)

• tathā: thus/also
• tathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (adverb: ‘thus/so/also’)

• āvayoḥ: of us two
• āvayoḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; द्विवचन, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive)

Speaker

Brahmā (narrating the event of the Liṅga’s manifestation, within the Sṛṣṭikhaṇḍa dialogue)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Liṅgodbhava

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Core Liṅgodbhava motif: the self-manifest (svayambhū) liṅga appears between Brahmā and Viṣṇu to pacify their dispute and awaken right knowledge (prabodha), establishing Śiva as the transcendent Pati.

Significance: Darśana of the self-manifest liṅga symbolizes anugraha: cessation of rivalry, dawning of true knowledge, and orientation of paśu toward Pati; paradigmatic for liṅga-worship as a means to grace.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: epiphany within pralaya setting; theophany of the infinite liṅga

Characters & Entities

• Shiva (as Liṅga)
• Brahmā
• Viṣṇu

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in the Shiva Purana?

The verse teaches that Śiva, as the Liṅga, manifests to dissolve ahaṅkāra (ego) and rivalry, replacing argument with prabodha—direct spiritual awakening—so the soul turns from pride to recognition of the Supreme Pati.

How does this verse relate to the worship of the Linga or Saguna Shiva?

It presents the Liṅga as Śiva’s accessible, worship-worthy manifestation that reveals the transcendent (beyond form) through a sacred sign (liṅga), guiding devotees from conflict and conceptual debate toward devotion and realization.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is Liṅga-upāsanā: steady, humble worship with mantra-japa (especially “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and contemplative focus on Śiva as the one Reality that pacifies inner conflict and grants awakening.