Shloka 57

Adhyaya 4: अहोरात्र-युग-मन्वन्तर-कल्पमान तथा प्रलयान्ते सृष्ट्युपक्रमः

Devanagari script

पितामहस्याथ परः परार्धद्वयसंमितः दिवा सृष्टं तु यत्सर्वं निशि नश्यति चास्य तत्

Transliteration

pitāmahasyātha paraḥ parārdhadvayasaṃmitaḥ divā sṛṣṭaṃ tu yatsarvaṃ niśi naśyati cāsya tat

Translation

Melampaui siang kosmik Pitāmaha (Brahmā) ialah malamnya, yang ukurannya menyamai dua parārdha; apa sahaja yang terzahir pada siangnya—seluruh ciptaan ini—larut kembali pada malam itu.

Word by Word

• पितामहस्य (pitāmahasya): of Pitāmaha/Brahmā

• अथ (atha): then/thereupon

• परः (paraḥ): the further (period)/beyond

• परार्ध-द्वय-संमितः (parārdha-dvaya-saṃmitaḥ): measured as two parārdhas (an immense time-unit)

• दिवा (divā): in the day

• सृष्टम् (sṛṣṭam): created/manifested

• तु (tu): indeed

• यत् (yat): whatever/that which

• सर्वम् (sarvam): all/entire

• निशि (niśi): in the night

• नश्यति (naśyati): perishes/dissolves

• च (ca): and

• अस्य (asya): of him (Brahmā)

• तत् (tat): that (same creation).

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Shiva

FAQs

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

It frames all manifested worlds as temporary—arising in Brahmā’s day and dissolving in his night—thereby directing the devotee to worship the timeless Pati (Śiva) symbolized by the Liṅga as the stable refuge beyond creation and dissolution.

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

By emphasizing cyclical creation and dissolution within Brahmā’s time, it implies that Śiva-tattva is not confined to these measures; in Shaiva Siddhanta, Pati (Śiva) remains transcendent while the pashus (souls) experience change under pasha (bondage) across cosmic cycles.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

A key Pāśupata-Yogic takeaway is vairāgya (dispassion): contemplating pralaya and the impermanence of the created order to loosen pasha and turn the mind toward Liṅga-upāsanā and liberation-oriented discipline.