Shloka 65

Adhyaya 17: लिङ्गोद्भव—ब्रह्मविष्ण्वहङ्कार-शमनं, ओंकार-प्रादुर्भावः, मन्त्र-तत्त्वं च

Devanagari script

अस्य लिङ्गादभूद्बीजम् अकारो बीजिनः प्रभोः उकारयोनौ निक्षिप्तम् अवर्धत समन्ततः

Transliteration

asya liṅgādabhūdbījam akāro bījinaḥ prabhoḥ ukārayonau nikṣiptam avardhata samantataḥ

Translation

Deste Liṅga surgiu a semente — a letra “A”, pertencente ao Senhor portador da Semente. Quando essa semente foi colocada no ventre de “U”, ela se expandiu por todos os lados, significando o desdobrar onipenetrante de Pati (Śiva) através de Śakti, como fundamento da criação.

Word by Word

• asya: of this

• liṅgāt: from the Liṅga

• abhūt: arose/came to be

• bījam: seed/cause

• akāraḥ: the letter ‘A’

• bījinaḥ: of the seed-possessing/seed-bearing one

• prabhoḥ: of the Lord

• ukāra-yonau: in the womb/source of ‘U’

• nikṣiptam: placed/implanted

• avardhata: grew/increased

• samantataḥ: on all sides/everywhere

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating the Purāṇic account to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It frames the Liṅga as the causal source of manifestation: from the Liṅga arises the ‘seed’ (bīja), showing why Liṅga-pūjā honors Śiva not merely as a form, but as the origin and support of all becoming.

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

Śiva is indicated as the Seed-bearing Lord (Pati) whose causal potency is expressed through a womb/source principle, implying Śiva-tattva as transcendent cause that becomes immanent through Śakti without losing sovereignty.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

A mantra-centered contemplation is implied: meditating on the bīja nature of sound (A and U) as Śiva-Śakti symbolism, supporting inner Liṅga-dhyāna aligned with Pāśupata orientation toward Pati beyond bondage (pāśa).