Shloka 81

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

Devanagari script

ईश्वरस्तु परो देवो विष्णुश् च महतः परः ब्रह्मा च रजसा युक्तः सर्गादौ हि प्रवर्तते

Transliteration

īśvarastu paro devo viṣṇuś ca mahataḥ paraḥ brahmā ca rajasā yuktaḥ sargādau hi pravartate

Translation

ਈਸ਼ਵਰ ਹੀ ਪਰਮ ਦੇਵ ਹੈ; ਅਤੇ ਵਿਸ਼ਨੂ ਮਹਤ् (ਮਹਾਬੁੱਧੀ) ਤੋਂ ਵੀ ਪਰੇ ਹੈ। ਬ੍ਰਹਮਾ ਰਜੋਗੁਣ ਨਾਲ ਯੁਕਤ ਹੋ ਕੇ ਸ੍ਰਿਸ਼ਟੀ ਦੇ ਆਰੰਭ ਵਿੱਚ ਸ੍ਰਗ-ਪ੍ਰਵਿਰਤੀ ਚਲਾਉਂਦਾ ਹੈ।

Word by Word

• īśvaraḥ: Īśvara (the Lord, Pati)

• tu: indeed

• paraḥ: supreme/transcendent

• devaḥ: deity/lord

• viṣṇuḥ: Viṣṇu (all-pervader)

• ca: and

• mahataḥ: from/beyond Mahat-tattva (cosmic intellect)

• paraḥ: higher than/transcending

• brahmā: Brahmā (creator)

• ca: and

• rajasā: with rajas (the activating guṇa)

• yuktaḥ: joined/endowed

• sarga-ādau: at the beginning of creation

• hi: surely/indeed

• pravartate: begins/sets in motion/engages

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Linga Purana’s cosmology to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Ishvara (Shiva)
• Vishnu
• Brahma
• Mahat-tattva
• Rajas (guna)

FAQs

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

It establishes Īśvara (Shiva) as the supreme Pati behind all cosmic functions; Linga worship centers on this transcendent Lord who empowers the creator (Brahmā) and sustainer (Viṣṇu).

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

Shiva is presented as Īśvara, the para-deva—supreme and causally prior to the manifesting principles; as Pati, he stands beyond the guṇas while directing their operation through his śakti.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

No specific puja-vidhi is stated, but the doctrinal takeaway supports Pāśupata orientation: meditate on Pati (Īśvara) as transcendent to tattvas and guṇas, the giver of mokṣa to the pashu bound by pasha.