Shloka 7

Adhyaya 34: भस्ममहात्म्यं—अग्नीषोमात्मक-शिवतत्त्वं तथा पाशुपतव्रतप्रशंसा

Devanagari script

अहमग्निर्महातेजाः सोमश्चैषा महांबिका अहमग्निश् च सोमश् च प्रकृत्या पुरुषः स्वयम्

Transliteration

ahamagnirmahātejāḥ somaścaiṣā mahāṃbikā ahamagniś ca somaś ca prakṛtyā puruṣaḥ svayam

Translation

నేను మహాతేజస్సుగల అగ్ని; ఈ మహాంబికే సోమ. నేను అగ్నియు సోమయు రెండూ నేనే; స్వభావతః నేనే స్వయంగా పురుషుడు (పరమ చైతన్యాధిపతి).

Word by Word

• अहम् (aham): I

• अग्निः (agniḥ): Agni, the fire-principle

• महातेजाः (mahā-tejāḥ): possessing great splendor/energy

• सोमः (somaḥ): Soma, the lunar/nectar principle

• च (ca): and

• एषा (eṣā): this (she)

• महांबिका (mahāmbikā): the Great Mother (Shakti)

• अहम् (aham): I

• अग्निः (agniḥ): Agni

• च (ca): and

• सोमः (somaḥ): Soma

• च (ca): and

• प्रकृत्या (prakṛtyā): by nature, inherently (through Prakṛti/own essential power)

• पुरुषः (puruṣaḥ): Puruṣa, the Supreme Person/Consciousness

• स्वयम् (svayam): Himself, directly

Speaker

Shiva (as the supreme Pati revealing His identity through Agni–Soma polarity)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Mahambika (Shakti/Parvati)
• Agni
• Soma

FAQs

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

It frames the Linga as the sign of the Supreme Pati who contains and harmonizes Agni (fiery transformative power) and Soma (cool nectar-like grace), implying that Linga-puja is worship of the unified source behind all ritual energies.

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

Shiva speaks as the self-existent Puruṣa—conscious Lord—who, through His own Shakti (Mahāmbikā/Prakṛti), manifests the paired cosmic principles Agni and Soma, showing Shiva-tattva as both transcendent and immanent.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The verse points to a Pāśupata-oriented inner discipline of balancing Agni (tapas, purification, mantra-fire) with Soma (amṛta, cooling grace, steadiness), a key contemplative lens for Linga-puja and yogic integration.