Shloka 58

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

Devanagari script

भूर्भुवःस्वर्महस्तत्र नश्यते चोर्ध्वतो न च रात्रौ चैकार्णवे ब्रह्मा नष्टे स्थावरजङ्गमे

Transliteration

bhūrbhuvaḥsvarmahastatra naśyate cordhvato na ca rātrau caikārṇave brahmā naṣṭe sthāvarajaṅgame

Translation

भूर्भुवःस्वर्महर्लोकाः तत्र नश्यन्ति सर्वशः, ऊर्ध्वतोऽपि न किञ्चिद्वा शेषं तिष्ठति तादृशे। रात्रौ चैकार्णवे जाते स्थावरजङ्गमे लये, ब्रह्मापि नष्ट इवास्ते सुप्तबीजसमाकुलः॥

Word by Word

• भूः (bhūḥ): earth-plane

• भुवः (bhuvaḥ): mid-region/atmospheric plane

• स्वः (svaḥ): heaven-plane

• महः (mahaḥ): great world (Maharloka)

• तत्र (tatra): there/at that time

• नश्यते (naśyate): perishes/is destroyed

• च (ca): and

• ऊर्ध्वतः (ūrdhvataḥ): above/upwards

• न (na): not

• च (ca): and

• रात्रौ (rātrau): in the (cosmic) night

• च (ca): and

• एकार्णवे (ekārṇave): in the single ocean (of dissolution)

• ब्रह्मा (brahmā): Brahmā

• नष्टे (naṣṭe): when destroyed/when dissolved

• स्थावरजङ्गमे (sthāvara-jaṅgame): the immobile and the mobile beings

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Brahma

FAQs

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

By describing total dissolution of all lokas and beings, the verse frames the Linga (Shiva as Pati) as the stable refuge beyond pralaya—encouraging worship that seeks the imperishable reality rather than transient worlds.

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

Even Brahmā and the cosmic strata dissolve in the single ocean of pralaya, implying that Shiva-tattva is the transcendent ground that remains when Pashu (souls) and Pasha (cosmic structures/bondages) are withdrawn.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

It highlights vairāgya and pralaya-anusandhāna (contemplation of dissolution) as a Pashupata-aligned discipline—using insight into impermanence to turn the mind toward Pati (Shiva) through japa, dhyāna, and Linga-smaraṇa.