Shloka 2

एकार्णव-सृष्टिक्रमः, ब्रह्म-विष्णु-परस्परप्रवेशः, शिवस्य आगमनं च

Devanagari script

एतत्सर्वं विशेषेण सांप्रतं वक्तुमर्हसि सूत उवाच आसीदेकार्णवं घोरम् अविभागं तमोमयम्

Transliteration

etatsarvaṃ viśeṣeṇa sāṃprataṃ vaktumarhasi sūta uvāca āsīdekārṇavaṃ ghoram avibhāgaṃ tamomayam

Translation

«Explica-nos tudo isto agora, em especial e com detalhe.» Disse Sūta: «Naquele tempo existia o terrível oceano único—sem divisão, uma massa de trevas—quando todas as distinções haviam-se dissolvido.»

Word by Word

• etat-sarvam: all this

• viśeṣeṇa: in detail, distinctly

• sāṃpratam: now, at present

• vaktum: to speak, to explain

• arhasi: you are worthy/you should

• sūta uvāca: Sūta said

• āsīt: there was, existed

• ekārṇavam: the single ocean (cosmic waters)

• ghoram: dreadful, awesome

• avibhāgam: without division, undifferentiated

• tamomayam: consisting of darkness (tamas-filled)

Speaker

Suta (narrator), responding to the sages’ request

Characters & Entities

• Suta
• Sages of Naimisharanya

FAQs

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

It sets the cosmological backdrop of pralaya—an undifferentiated, tamas-filled state—against which the later manifestation of Shiva as Pati (often signified by the Linga) becomes meaningful as the principle that restores order, distinction, and grace.

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

By describing a state dominated by tamas and lack of differentiation, the verse implicitly contrasts Shiva-tattva as the transcendent Pati who is not bound by tamas, and who can reveal creation and consciousness even when the cosmos is indistinct.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

No specific rite is prescribed in this line; the yogic takeaway is recognition of tamas (darkness/obscuration) as a condition to be transcended—central to Pashupata-oriented discipline that seeks liberation of the pashu from pasha through turning toward Pati.