Shloka 78

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

Devanagari script

चादिपञ्चाक्षराण्येवं पञ्च हस्तानि वामतः टादिपञ्चाक्षरं पादस् तादिपञ्चाक्षरं तथा

Transliteration

cādipañcākṣarāṇyevaṃ pañca hastāni vāmataḥ ṭādipañcākṣaraṃ pādas tādipañcākṣaraṃ tathā

Translation

അതുപോലെ ‘ച’ മുതൽ ആരംഭിക്കുന്ന അഞ്ചക്ഷരങ്ങൾ ഇടത്തുഭാഗത്തെ അഞ്ചു കൈകൾ. ‘ട’ മുതൽ ആരംഭിക്കുന്ന അഞ്ചക്ഷരങ്ങൾ പാദങ്ങൾ; ‘ത’ മുതൽ ആരംഭിക്കുന്ന അഞ്ചക്ഷരങ്ങളും അതുപോലെ—ഇത് ശിവന്റെ മന്ത്രദേഹ വിന്യാസം.

Word by Word

• ca-ādi: beginning with ‘ca’

• pañca-akṣarāṇi: five syllables/letters

• evam: thus

• pañca: five

• hastāni: hands

• vāmataḥ: on the left side

• ṭa-ādi: beginning with ‘ṭa’

• pañca-akṣaram: a set of five syllables

• pādaḥ/pādas: feet

• ta-ādi: beginning with ‘ta’

• tathā: likewise/also

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating traditional Linga-iconography/nyasa arrangement to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches akṣara-vinyāsa (mantric placement): arranging specific syllable-groups onto limbs of the ritual form, making the worshipper’s act a consecration of the Linga as Śiva’s embodied presence (Pati) rather than a mere symbol.

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

Śiva-tattva is indicated as pervading form through śabda (sacred sound): the Lord is approached via ordered phonemes that sanctify the limbs, showing Śiva as both transcendent and immanent through mantra.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Mantra-nyāsa used in Linga-pūjā—assigning syllables to hands and feet—supporting Pāśupata-style inner purification where the paśu (bound soul) loosens pāśa (bonds) by disciplined mantra-body alignment.