Shloka 44

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

Devanagari script

नापश्यदल्पमप्यस्य मूलं लिङ्गस्य सूकरः तावत्कालं गतो ह्यूर्ध्वम् अहमप्यरिसूदनः

Transliteration

nāpaśyadalpamapyasya mūlaṃ liṅgasya sūkaraḥ tāvatkālaṃ gato hyūrdhvam ahamapyarisūdanaḥ

Translation

സൂകരരൂപത്തിലുള്ള വിഷ്ണുവിന് ആ ലിംഗത്തിന്റെ മൂലത്തിന്റെ അല്പമെങ്കിലും ദർശനം ലഭിച്ചില്ല. അതേ കാലം ഞാൻ കൂടി—ഹേ അരിസൂദന—മേലോട്ടു പോയി.

Word by Word

• na apaśyat: did not see

• alpam api: even a little

• asya: of this

• mūlam: root/base

• liṅgasya: of the Liṅga

• sūkaraḥ: the Boar (Viṣṇu in Varāha-form)

• tāvat-kālam: for that same duration

• gataḥ: went

• hi: indeed

• ūrdhvam: upward

• aham api: I also

• ari-sūdanaḥ: slayer of enemies (vocative/epithet used in address)

Speaker

Brahmā (within Sūta’s narration to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Vishnu
• Brahma
• Linga

FAQs

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

It establishes the Liṅga as anādi-ananta (without beginning or end), so worship is directed to Shiva as Pati beyond measurable form—cultivating surrender rather than egoic “conquest” of the divine.

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

Shiva-tattva is shown as immeasurable and transcendent: even the highest cosmic powers (Brahmā and Viṣṇu) cannot find the Liṅga’s root or summit, indicating the Absolute beyond pramāṇa (ordinary means of knowing).

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The takeaway is Pāśupata-bhāva: humility and inward turning (antar-mukhatā). Rather than mere outward searching, the aspirant (paśu) loosens pāśa (bondage) through devotion, discernment, and Liṅga-upāsanā centered on Shiva as Pati.