Shloka 96

ध्यानयज्ञः, संसार-विष-निरूपणम्, पाशुपतयोगः, परा-अपरा विद्या, चतुर्वस्था-विचारः (अध्यायः ८६)

Devanagari script

एकत्वमपि नास्त्येव द्वैतं तत्र कुतस्त्वहो एवं नास्त्यथ मर्त्यं च कुतो ऽमृतमजोद्भवः

Transliteration

ekatvamapi nāstyeva dvaitaṃ tatra kutastvaho evaṃ nāstyatha martyaṃ ca kuto 'mṛtamajodbhavaḥ

Translation

तस्मिन् शिवे परे तत्त्वे एकत्वमपि न विद्यते। द्वैतं तत्र कुतः स्यात्? एवं सति मर्त्यं कुतः, अमृतं वा कुतः, अजोद्भव?॥

Word by Word

• एकत्वम् (ekatvam): oneness/non-duality as a concept

• अपि (api): even

• न (na): not

• अस्ति (asti): exists/is applicable

• एव (eva): indeed

• द्वैतम् (dvaitam): duality

• तत्र (tatra): there, in that supreme principle

• कुतः (kutaḥ): whence/how

• त्व् (tv): indeed (emphatic particle)

• अहो (aho): alas/indeed (exclamation)

• एवम् (evam): thus/in this way

• नास्ति (nāsti): does not exist/is not applicable

• अथ (atha): then/also

• मर्त्यम् (martyam): mortal condition

• च (ca): and

• कुतः (kutaḥ): how/whence

• अमृतम् (amṛtam): immortality/undying state

• अज-उद्भव (aja-udbhava): ‘born from the Unborn’—epithet addressing Brahmā

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating a Shaiva metaphysical teaching within the chapter)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Brahma

FAQs

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

It frames the Linga as the sign of the Transcendent Pati (Shiva) who is beyond conceptual opposites like one/two, mortal/immortal—so Linga-puja is worship of the Reality that frees the pashu from pasha, not merely a worldly deity-form.

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

Shiva-tattva is presented as beyond all limiting predicates: even ‘oneness’ is a mental category, and Shiva surpasses it; therefore duality and all dependent distinctions (mortality/immortality) cannot define Him.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The implied practice is Pashupata-oriented discernment (viveka) in worship and meditation: while performing puja, the sādhaka contemplates the Linga as beyond all dualities, loosening pasha (bondage) and orienting the pashu (soul) toward Pati (Shiva).