Shloka 20

Adhyaya 23: श्वेत-लोहित-पीत-कृष्ण-विश्व-कल्पेषु रुद्रस्वरूप-गायत्री-तत्त्ववर्णनम्

Devanagari script

विज्ञातो ऽहं त्वया ब्रह्मन् घोरो घोरपराक्रमः मत्प्रसूता च गायत्री कृष्णाङ्गी कृष्णलोहिता

Transliteration

vijñāto 'haṃ tvayā brahman ghoro ghoraparākramaḥ matprasūtā ca gāyatrī kṛṣṇāṅgī kṛṣṇalohitā

Translation

हे ब्रह्मन् (ब्रह्मा), तू मला ओळखलेस—मी घोर, घोर पराक्रमवान; आणि माझ्यापासूनच गायत्री उत्पन्न झाली, कृष्णाङ्गी व कृष्ण-लोहितवर्णी।

Word by Word

• vijñātaḥ: known/recognized

• aham: I

• tvayā: by you

• brahman: O Brahman (address to Brahmā)

• ghoraḥ: fierce/terrible

• ghora-parākramaḥ: of dreadful might/heroic power

• mat-prasūtā: born from me/issued from me

• ca: and

• gāyatrī: Gāyatrī (Vedic power/mantra-personification)

• kṛṣṇa-aṅgī: dark-limbed/black-bodied

• kṛṣṇa-lohitā: dark-red/reddish-black in color

Speaker

A fierce Shakti/Devi manifestation (speaking to Brahma within Suta’s narration)

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Gayatri
• Shiva (implied as Pati behind Shakti’s power)

FAQs

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

It links Linga-centered Shaiva theology with Vedic mantra-power by presenting Gāyatrī as a manifest Shakti arising from the divine source, implying that mantra and worship gain efficacy through Pati (Shiva) and his Shakti.

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

Though spoken as a Shakti-form, the verse reflects Shiva-tattva as the terrifyingly powerful Pati whose presence is recognized by Brahmā; Shakti’s fierce agency points back to the Lord’s sovereign power that governs creation and transformation.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Mantra-sādhana is implied: Gāyatrī is presented as embodied mantra-shakti, indicating that disciplined japa and worship—when aligned to Pati and Shakti—become means to loosen pāśa (bondage) for the pashu (soul).