Shloka 4

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

Devanagari script

गन्धवर्णरसैर् हीनं शब्दस्पर्शविवर्जितम् अजरं ध्रुवमक्षय्यं नित्यं स्वात्मन्यवस्थितम्

Transliteration

gandhavarṇarasair hīnaṃ śabdasparśavivarjitam ajaraṃ dhruvamakṣayyaṃ nityaṃ svātmanyavasthitam

Translation

அவர் மணம், நிறம், சுவை இவற்றற்றவர்; ஒலி, தொடுதல் இவற்றிலிருந்தும் விடுபட்டவர். முதுமையற்றவர், நிலைத்தவர், அழிவற்றவர், நித்தியர்; தம் ஆத்மஸ்வரூபத்தில் நிலைபெற்ற சிவன்—பதி—இந்திரியங்களுக்கும் பாசப் பந்தத்திற்கும் அப்பாற்பட்டவர்।

Word by Word

• गन्ध (gandha): smell

• वर्ण (varṇa): colour/form

• रस (rasa): taste/essence

• हीनम् (hīnam): devoid of

• शब्द (śabda): sound

• स्पर्श (sparśa): touch

• विवर्जितम् (vivarjitam): completely free from

• अजरम् (ajaram): unaging

• ध्रुवम् (dhruvam): fixed/steadfast

• अक्षय्यम् (akṣayyam): imperishable/undecaying

• नित्यम् (nityam): eternal

• स्वात्मनि (svātmani): in His own Self

• अवस्थितम् (avasthitam): abiding/established

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Linga Purana teaching to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It establishes that the Linga ultimately signifies Śiva beyond sensory qualities; the external worship (bāhya-pūjā) is meant to lead the devotee toward inner realization of the imperishable Pati.

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

Śiva is presented as nirguṇa—beyond smell, colour, taste, sound, and touch—yet eternally self-established (svātmany avasthita), indicating the independent, unconditioned reality of Pati distinct from paśu and pāśa.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

A Pāśupata-oriented meditation is implied: withdraw attention from the senses (pratyāhāra) and contemplate the steady, undecaying Śiva within, letting Linga-pūjā mature into inner dhyāna on nirguṇa Shiva.