Shloka 9

Adhyaya 70: आदिसर्गः—महत्-अहङ्कार-तन्मात्रा-भूतसृष्टिः, ब्रह्माण्डावरणम्, प्रजासर्गः, त्रिमूर्ति-शैवाधिष्ठानम्

Devanagari script

सूक्ष्मेण महता चाथ अव्यक्तेन समावृतम् सत्त्वोद्रिक्तो महानग्रे सत्तामात्रप्रकाशकः

Transliteration

sūkṣmeṇa mahatā cātha avyaktena samāvṛtam sattvodrikto mahānagre sattāmātraprakāśakaḥ

Translation

सूक्ष्मेण महता चाथ अव्यक्तेन समावृतम् । सत्त्वोद्रिक्तो महानग्रे सत्तामात्रप्रकाशकः ॥

Word by Word

• सूक्ष्मेण: by the subtle (principle)

• महता: by the Great principle (Mahat)

• च: and

• अथ: then

• अव्यक्तेन: by the Unmanifest (Avyakta/Prakṛti)

• समावृतम्: enveloped/covered

• सत्त्व-उद्रिक्तः: with sattva predominant

• महान्: Mahat (cosmic intellect)

• अग्रे: at first/in the beginning

• सत्ता-मात्र: mere being/existence alone

• प्रकाशकः: illuminator/revealer

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the cosmological sequence to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It frames the Linga’s metaphysical background: before form and ritual, existence is disclosed through the first evolute (Mahat) arising from the unmanifest—pointing devotees to worship Shiva (Pati) as the ultimate revealer beyond all tattvas.

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

By describing Mahat as a revealer of “mere being,” the verse implies that illumination and intelligibility in creation depend on a higher principle; in Shaiva Siddhanta, Shiva as Pati is the supreme light in which even Mahat and the guṇas become knowable.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

A contemplative tattva-viveka (discrimination of principles): the yogin traces experience back from guṇa-based intellect (Mahat) to Avyakta and finally to Pati, loosening pāśa (bondage) over the paśu (soul).