Shloka 59

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

Devanagari script

अप्राप्य तं निवर्तन्ते वाच्यस्त्वेकाक्षरेण सः एकाक्षरेण तद्वाच्यम् ऋतं परमकारणम्

Transliteration

aprāpya taṃ nivartante vācyastvekākṣareṇa saḥ ekākṣareṇa tadvācyam ṛtaṃ paramakāraṇam

Translation

അവനെ പ്രാപിക്കാനാകാതെ വാക്കുകൾ മടങ്ങിവരുന്നു. എങ്കിലും അവൻ ഏകാക്ഷരത്താൽ സൂച്യൻ; അതേ ഏകാക്ഷരത്താൽ അവൻ വാച്യൻ—അവൻ ഋതം, പരമകാരണം.

Word by Word

• aprāpya: not attaining

• tam: Him (the Supreme)

• nivartante: return/withdraw

• vācaḥ: words/speech

• tu: however/indeed

• vācyas: to be denoted/indicated

• ekākṣareṇa: by a single syllable

• saḥ: He

• tad-vācyam: that which is denoted by it

• ṛtam: Ṛta (cosmic truth/order)

• parama-kāraṇam: the highest cause

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Linga Purana teaching to the sages of Naimisharanya; describing the transcendent Shiva-tattva revealed as the Linga)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It frames the Linga as the sign (liṅga) of the inexpressible Pati: while Shiva transcends speech and conceptual reach, He is approached in worship through a minimal, potent indicator—ekākṣara—supporting mantra-based Linga-puja.

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

Shiva is portrayed as beyond verbalization (where words withdraw) yet as the paramakāraṇa, the ultimate ground of Ṛta—cosmic order and truth—indicating the transcendent, self-established Pati who governs pasha and uplifts pashu.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Japa and contemplative absorption on the ekākṣara (commonly understood as the Pranava/seed-indicator of Shiva) as a Pashupata-oriented method: restraining speech and mind and fixing awareness on the single-syllable sign of the Supreme.