Shloka 53

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

Devanagari script

शीतांशुमण्डलप्रख्यं मकारं मध्यमं तथा तस्योपरि तदापश्यच् छुद्धस्फटिकवत् प्रभुम्

Transliteration

śītāṃśumaṇḍalaprakhyaṃ makāraṃ madhyamaṃ tathā tasyopari tadāpaśyac chuddhasphaṭikavat prabhum

Translation

शीतांशुमण्डलप्रख्यं मकारं मध्यमं तथा। तस्योपरि तदापश्यच् छुद्धस्फटिकवत् प्रभुम्॥

Word by Word

• शीतांशु (śītāṃśu): the moon, the cool-rayed one

• मण्डल (maṇḍala): orb, disk

• प्रख्यम् (prakhyam): resembling, comparable to

• मकारम् (makāram): the syllable ‘ma’

• मध्यमम् (madhyamam): middle, central

• तथा (tathā): and also

• तस्य (tasya): of that, above it

• उपरि (upari): above

• तदा (tadā): then

• अपश्यत् (apaśyat): he saw, perceived

• शुद्ध (śuddha): pure

• स्फटिकवत् (sphaṭika-vat): like crystal

• प्रभुम् (prabhum): the Lord, the sovereign (Pati)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating an internal contemplative vision described in the chapter)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It presents Linga-upasana as an inner ascent through mantra and subtle vision: focusing on the syllable “Ma” culminates in perceiving Shiva as the pure, crystal-like Lord, indicating that true Linga worship unites outer symbol and inner realization.

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

Shiva is revealed as Prabhu/Pati—self-luminous, stainless, and transcendent—appearing as pure clarity (like flawless crystal), signifying consciousness untouched by pasha (bondage) and the refuge of the pashu (individual soul).

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Mantra-dhyana within Pashupata-oriented contemplation: concentrating on a specific akshara (the “Ma” syllable) as a luminous support, then moving beyond it to direct perception of the Lord in inner vision.