Shloka 55

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

Devanagari script

हरयश्चाप्यसंख्यातास् त्व् एक एव महेश्वरः प्रधानादिप्रवृत्तानि लीलया प्राकृतानि तु

Transliteration

harayaścāpyasaṃkhyātās tv eka eva maheśvaraḥ pradhānādipravṛttāni līlayā prākṛtāni tu

Translation

हरयश्चाप्यसंख्यातास्त्वेक एव महेश्वरः। प्रधानादिप्रवृत्तानि लीलया प्राकृतानि तु॥

Word by Word

• हरयः: the Haris (Vishnu-forms)

• च अपि: and also/indeed

• असंख्याताः: innumerable

• तु: but/yet

• एकः एव: one alone

• महेश्वरः: Maheshvara, the Great Lord (Shiva as Pati)

• प्रधान-आदि-प्रवृत्तानि: the evolutes/manifestations beginning with Pradhana

• लीलया: by (His) divine play

• प्राकृतानि: belonging to Prakriti, natural/material

• तु: indeed/only

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Linga Purana teaching to the sages at Naimisharanya, summarizing the supremacy of Maheshvara over prakritic evolutes)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Vishnu

FAQs

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

It grounds Linga-worship in tattva-viveka: the Linga signifies Maheshvara as Pati, distinct from all prākṛta (nature-born) evolutes; worship aims at the Supreme beyond Pradhana.

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

Shiva is affirmed as the one Maheshvara—unique and sovereign—while Pradhana and its products are classed as prākṛta; thus Shiva-tattva is not merely a cosmic product but the transcendent Lord who manifests by līlā.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

A key Pāśupata-Yogic takeaway is discrimination (viveka): meditate on Maheshvara as Pati beyond Prakriti and its tattvas, so the pashu (soul) loosens pasha (bondage) rather than mistaking prakritic powers for the Supreme.