Shloka 90

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

Devanagari script

चतुर्मुखस्तु ब्रह्मत्वे कालत्वे चान्तकः स्मृतः सहस्रमूर्धा पुरुषस् तिस्रो ऽवस्थाः स्वयंभुवः

Transliteration

caturmukhastu brahmatve kālatve cāntakaḥ smṛtaḥ sahasramūrdhā puruṣas tisro 'vasthāḥ svayaṃbhuvaḥ

Translation

ಬ್ರಹ್ಮತ್ವದಲ್ಲಿ ಅವನು ಚತುರ್ಮುಖ; ಕಾಲತ್ವದಲ್ಲಿ ‘ಅಂತಕ’—ಅಂತ್ಯಕರ—ಎಂದು ಸ್ಮರಿಸಲ್ಪಡುತ್ತಾನೆ. ಸಹಸ್ರಮೂರ್ಧ ಪುರುಷರೂಪದಲ್ಲಿ ಸ್ವಯಂಭೂ ಮೂರು ಅವಸ್ಥೆಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಅಧಿಷ್ಠಿತನಾಗಿರುತ್ತಾನೆ।

Word by Word

• caturmukhaḥ: the four-faced one (Brahmā-form)

• tu: indeed

• brahmatve: in the state/function of Brahmā (creative office)

• kālatve: in the state/function of Time

• ca: and

• antakaḥ: Antaka, the Ender (death/time as dissolution)

• smṛtaḥ: is remembered/known

• sahasra-mūrdhā: thousand-headed

• puruṣaḥ: the Cosmic Person

• tisraḥ: three

• avasthāḥ: states/conditions (waking, dreaming, deep sleep

• svayaṃbhuvaḥ: the Self-born (self-existent Lord).

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Linga Purana to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Antaka (Time/Death)
• Purusha (Cosmic Person)
• Svayambhu (Self-born Lord)

FAQs

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

It frames Linga-worship as worship of Pati who pervades all cosmic offices—creation (Brahmā), dissolution (Antaka as Time), and the all-pervading Puruṣa—so the Linga is not a sectarian emblem but the sign of the supreme, self-existent Lord.

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

Shiva-tattva is presented as svayaṃbhu (self-born) and multi-functional: He assumes the creative role as Caturmukha, governs as Kāla leading to dissolution as Antaka, and remains the transcendent-immanent Puruṣa who underlies the three states (avasthā) through which the pashu experiences bondage and release.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The verse points more to contemplative upāsanā than a specific rite: a Pāśupata-oriented meditation on the Lord as Kāla (time-transcending awareness) and as the witness across the three avasthās, supporting inner detachment from pāśa (bondage).