Shloka 9

Devanagari script

शब्दस्पर्शस्वरूपाय रसगन्धाय गन्धिने गणाधिपतये तुभ्यं गुह्याद्गुह्यतमाय ते

Transliteration

śabdasparśasvarūpāya rasagandhāya gandhine gaṇādhipataye tubhyaṃ guhyādguhyatamāya te

Translation

ഹേ ശിവാ! ശബ്ദവും സ്പർശവും തന്നെയാണ് നിന്റെ സ്വരൂപം; രസവും ഗന്ധവും എന്നതിന്റെ സാരവും നീ; സ്വയം സുഗന്ധിമാനായവനേ. ഗണാധിപതേ, ഗുഹ്യത്തിൽ ഗുഹ്യതമനായ നിനക്കു നമസ്കാരം.

Word by Word

• शब्द (śabda): sound

• स्पर्श (sparśa): touch

• स्वरूपाय (svarūpāya): to the One whose essential nature is

• रस (rasa): taste/essence

• गन्धाय (gandhāya): to fragrance/scent

• गन्धिने (gandhine): to the fragrant One/possessor of scent

• गणाधिपतये (gaṇādhipataye): to the Lord of the Gaṇas (Gaṇeśa/Śiva as Gaṇādhipati)

• तुभ्यं (tubhyaṃ): to You

• गुह्यात् (guhyāt): than the secret

• गुह्यतमाय (guhyatamāya): to the most secret

• ते (te): to You/your.

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating a Shaiva stuti within the Linga Purana’s discourse)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Ganas

FAQs

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

It frames the Liṅga as the immanent Pati who pervades the subtle bases of perception (sound, touch, taste, fragrance), guiding the devotee from sensory experience toward the hidden, transcendent Shiva.

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

Shiva is presented as both the inner essence of the tanmātras (the subtle principles behind the senses) and as “guhyāt guhyatama”—beyond all grasping, the supremely secret Reality that liberates the paśu from pāśa.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

A contemplative upāsanā aligned with Pāśupata Yoga: meditating on Shiva as the substratum of sensory principles, offering the senses back into the Liṅga to loosen bondage (pāśa) and recognize Pati.