Shloka 10

Adhyaya 17: लिङ्गोद्भव—ब्रह्मविष्ण्वहङ्कार-शमनं, ओंकार-प्रादुर्भावः, मन्त्र-तत्त्वं च

Devanagari script

एकार्णवे महाघोरे तमोभूते समन्ततः सुष्वापांभसि योगात्मा निर्मलो निरुपप्लवः

Transliteration

ekārṇave mahāghore tamobhūte samantataḥ suṣvāpāṃbhasi yogātmā nirmalo nirupaplavaḥ

Translation

ഒറ്റ ഭയങ്കര മഹാസമുദ്രത്തിൽ, ചുറ്റും ഘോര അന്ധകാരം നിറഞ്ഞപ്പോൾ, യോഗാത്മാവായ പരമപതി ശിവൻ ജലത്തിന്മേൽ യോഗനിദ്രയിൽ ശയിച്ചു—നിർമലൻ, നിർഉപദ്രവൻ, അചഞ്ചലൻ।

Word by Word

• ekārṇave: in the one ocean (single cosmic flood)

• mahāghore: exceedingly dreadful/terrifying

• tamobhūte: become darkness, filled with tamas

• samantataḥ: on all sides, everywhere

• suṣvau: slept, lay in deep repose

• ambhasi: in/upon the waters

• yogātmā: whose essence is Yoga, the Yogic Self

• nirmalaḥ: stainless, pure

• nirupaplavaḥ: without disturbance, unshaken, free from agitation/affliction

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It frames the Linga’s later manifestation as arising from the Supreme Pati who is prior to creation—pure, undisturbed consciousness even when the cosmos is only darkness and waters.

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

Shiva is presented as yogātmā—self-established in Yoga—nirmala (stainless) and nirupaplava (unshaken), indicating transcendence over tamas and over all pasha (bondage) that binds the pashu (soul).

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The verse points to yogic samādhi-like repose (yogic absorption) as the archetype: steadiness without agitation, which Pāśupata-oriented sādhana seeks to mirror through inner stillness and single-pointed contemplation of Śiva/Linga.