Shloka 178

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

Devanagari script

मानसानसृजद्ब्रह्मा पुनः स्थानाभिमानिनः आ भूतसम्प्लवावस्था यैरियं विधृता मही

Transliteration

mānasānasṛjadbrahmā punaḥ sthānābhimāninaḥ ā bhūtasamplavāvasthā yairiyaṃ vidhṛtā mahī

Translation

അനന്തരം ബ്രഹ്മാവ് വീണ്ടും മാനസസൃഷ്ടിയാൽ തങ്ങളുടെ തങ്ങളുടെ സ്ഥാനങ്ങളെ അഭിമാനിക്കുന്ന അധിഷ്ഠാത്ര ദേവതകളെ സൃഷ്ടിച്ചു. അവരുടെ വഴിയാൽ തന്നെയാണ് ഈ ഭൂമി ഭൂതസമ്പ്ലവം (മഹാപ്രളയം) വരെയുള്ള അവസ്ഥ വരെ ധരിക്കപ്പെടുന്നത്.

Word by Word

• mānasā: by the mind (mental)

• anasṛjat: (he) created/emanated

• brahmā: Brahmā

• punaḥ: again

• sthāna-abhimāninaḥ: those who take pride/identify with their appointed stations (presiding deities)

• ā: up to

• bhūta-samplava-avasthā: the state/condition of the deluge of beings (cosmic dissolution)

• yaiḥ: by whom

• iyaṃ: this

• vidhṛtā: upheld/sustained

• mahī: Earth

Speaker

Suta (narrating the cosmic account, including Brahmā’s acts of creation)

Characters & Entities

• Brahma

FAQs

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

It frames the cosmos as sustained by appointed presiding powers until pralaya—supporting the Linga-Purana’s Shaiva view that all offices and worlds function under higher divine order, ultimately grounded in Pati (Śiva) beyond dissolution.

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

Though Śiva is not named, the verse implies a layered governance: created presiding powers uphold the world only up to dissolution, pointing to a transcendental principle beyond pralaya—aligned with Shiva-tattva as Pati, the unconditioned ground of creation, maintenance, and reabsorption.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

A key yogic takeaway is vairāgya from sthāna-abhimāna—releasing identification with status and function—supporting Pāśupata-oriented discipline where the pashu loosens pasha (bondage) by turning from role-identity toward the Lord (Pati).