Shloka 117

Adhyaya 70: आदिसर्गः—महत्-अहङ्कार-तन्मात्रा-भूतसृष्टिः, ब्रह्माण्डावरणम्, प्रजासर्गः, त्रिमूर्ति-शैवाधिष्ठानम्

Devanagari script

सहस्रशीर्षा पुरुषो रुक्मवर्णस् त्वतीन्द्रियः ब्रह्मा नारायणाख्यस्तु सुष्वाप सलिले तदा

Transliteration

sahasraśīrṣā puruṣo rukmavarṇas tvatīndriyaḥ brahmā nārāyaṇākhyastu suṣvāpa salile tadā

Translation

അപ്പോൾ സഹസ്രശിരസ്സും സ്വർണവർണ്ണവും ഇന്ദ്രിയാതീതത്വവും ഉള്ള ആ പുരുഷൻ—ബ്രഹ്മാവും ‘നാരായണൻ’ എന്ന നാമത്താൽ പ്രസിദ്ധനും—ആദിജലത്തിൽ യോഗനിദ്രയിൽ ശയിച്ചു; ശൈവസിദ്ധാന്തത്തിൽ ഇത് പ്രകൃതിയിലുള്ള ആവരണശക്തി (പാശ)യെ സൂചിപ്പിക്കുന്നു, എന്നാൽ പരമ പതി ശിവൻ സർവ്വോദ്ഭവത്തിനും അതീതമായ അധിഷ്ഠാനം.

Word by Word

• सहस्र-शीर्षा: thousand-headed

• पुरुषः: Cosmic Person

• रुक्म-वर्णः: golden in complexion

• तु: indeed/but

• अतीन्द्रियः: beyond the senses

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā (creator-aspect)

• नारायण-आख्यः: named Nārāyaṇa

• तु: indeed

• सुष्वाप: slept, entered deep (yogic) sleep

• सलिले: in the waters (cosmic ocean)

• तदा: then/at that time

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Narayana

FAQs

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

It frames creation as beginning in the unmanifest waters, where even the creator-aspect rests in yoga-nidrā; Linga worship later reveals Śiva as the supreme Pati who awakens and orders sṛṣṭi beyond the limits of the senses.

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

Though Śiva is not named here, the verse highlights atīndriyatva (transcendence of sense and mind) as the hallmark of the supreme; in Shaiva Siddhanta, that absolute transcendence belongs fully to Pati (Śiva), while other cosmic functions operate within māyā and pāśa.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Yoga-nidrā (yogic absorption) is implied—an inward withdrawal preceding manifestation; for Pāśupata-oriented practice, it suggests disciplined pratyāhāra and dhyāna leading the pashu (soul) away from sensory bondage (pāśa) toward Pati.