Shloka 22

Adhyaya 17: लिङ्गोद्भव—ब्रह्मविष्ण्वहङ्कार-शमनं, ओंकार-प्रादुर्भावः, मन्त्र-तत्त्वं च

Devanagari script

किमर्थं भाषसे मोहाद् वक्तुमर्हसि सत्वरम् सो ऽपि मामाह जगतां कर्ताहमिति लोकय

Transliteration

kimarthaṃ bhāṣase mohād vaktumarhasi satvaram so 'pi māmāha jagatāṃ kartāhamiti lokaya

Translation

“మోహంతో ఎందుకు మాట్లాడుతున్నావు? చెప్పవలసినదాన్ని త్వరగా చెప్పు.” అప్పుడు అతడూ నన్ను ఉద్దేశించి అన్నాడు—“ఓ లోకమా! జగత్తుల కర్త నేనే.”

Word by Word

• kimartham: for what reason/why

• bhāṣase: you speak

• mohāt: from delusion

• vaktum: to speak/to declare

• arhasi: you ought/you are fit

• satvaram: quickly/without delay

• saḥ api: he also

• mām: to me

• āha: said

• jagatām: of the worlds

• kartā: creator/maker

• aham: I

• iti: thus

• lokaya: O world / O people (vocative sense)

Speaker

Sūta (narrating an internal dispute-dialogue in the Linga’s manifestation episode, commonly involving Brahmā and Viṣṇu)

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Vishnu
• Shiva

FAQs

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

It frames the ego-driven claim of being “creator of the worlds,” which the Linga manifestation corrects by revealing Śiva as the transcendent Pati beyond rival claims—supporting Linga worship as surrender of ahaṅkāra.

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

By highlighting delusion (moha) and competing creator-claims, the narrative implies that true sovereignty over sṛṣṭi is not an egoic assertion but the supreme Śiva-tattva that later appears as the Linga, the unbounded source and measure of all.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The takeaway is inner discipline: Pāśupata-oriented vairāgya and removal of moha/ahaṅkāra, which prepares the paśu (soul) to recognize Pati (Śiva) and loosen pāśa (bondage).