Shloka 20

विष्णुरुवाच—एकाक्षर-प्रणव-लिङ्ग-व्याप्ति-शिवस्तोत्रम्

Devanagari script

शङ्खपालाय शङ्खाय रजसे तमसे नमः सारस्वताय मेघाय मेघवाहन ते नमः

Transliteration

śaṅkhapālāya śaṅkhāya rajase tamase namaḥ sārasvatāya meghāya meghavāhana te namaḥ

Translation

శంఖపాల-స్వరూపుడా, శంఖ-స్వరూపుడా, రజస్సు మరియు తమస్సు-స్వరూపుడా—నీకు నమః। సారస్వత-తత్త్వాధిపతీ, మేఘ-స్వరూపా, మేఘవాహన ప్రభూ—నీకు నమస్కారం।

Word by Word

• śaṅkhapālāya: to Śaṅkhapāla (the guardian/protector)

• śaṅkhāya: to the conch (śaṅkha), the auspicious resonant symbol

• rajase: to rajas (the guṇa of activity)

• tamase: to tamas (the guṇa of inertia/obscuration)

• namaḥ: salutations

• sārasvatāya: to the Sarasvata one (lord of Sarasvatī/eloquence and sacred learning)

• meghāya: to the cloud

• meghavāhana: whose vehicle/bearer is the cloud (cloud-riding one)

• te: to you

• namaḥ: salutations

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating a received Shiva-stuti within the Linga Purana’s Purva-Bhaga context)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Sarasvati

FAQs

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

It functions as a namaḥ-stuti used in Linga-pūjā to recognize Shiva as the indwelling Lord (Pati) who pervades auspicious symbols (like the conch) and governs cosmic forces (guṇas and rain-bearing clouds) that sustain the world.

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

By saluting Shiva as rajas and tamas, and also as knowledge (Sārasvata) and the life-giving cloud, the verse presents Shiva-tattva as all-pervasive—immanent as the powers of prakṛti—yet to be realized as the sovereign Pati who masters and transcends guṇic bondage (pāśa) for the pashu (soul).

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The practice implied is nāma-japa and stotra-vandana during Linga-pūjā: repeated salutations that purify the pashu’s awareness, loosening pāśas by contemplating Shiva’s presence in all cosmic functions (including guṇas and the rain-cycle).