Shloka 12

Adhyaya 45: Rudra as Sarvatma—Seven Lokas, Seven Talas, and the Cosmic Body of Shiva

Devanagari script

शैलं रसातलं विप्राः शार्करं हि तलातलम् पीतं सुतलमित्युक्तं वितलं विद्रुमप्रभम्

Transliteration

śailaṃ rasātalaṃ viprāḥ śārkaraṃ hi talātalam pītaṃ sutalamityuktaṃ vitalaṃ vidrumaprabham

Translation

హే విప్రులారా, రసాతలం శైలమయమని చెప్పబడింది; తలాతలం కంకరలతో నిండినదని. సుతలం పీతవర్ణం (సువర్ణాభం) అని, వితలం పగడపు కాంతితో ప్రకాశించేదని వర్ణించబడింది।

Word by Word

• शैलम् (śailam): stony, rock-like

• रसातलम् (rasātalam): Rasātala (a netherworld)

• विप्राः (viprāḥ): O brāhmaṇas/sages

• शार्करम् (śārkaram): gravelly, full of pebbles

• हि (hi): indeed

• तलातलम् (talātalam): Talātala (a netherworld)

• पीतम् (pītam): yellow, golden-hued

• सुतलम् (sutalam): Sutala (a netherworld)

• इति (iti): thus

• उक्तम् (uktam): said, declared

• वितलम् (vitalam): Vitala (a netherworld)

• विद्रुम-प्रभम् (vidruma-prabham): having the splendor of coral

Speaker

Suta Goswami

FAQs

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

It supports a Shaiva contemplative map of the cosmos: by knowing all lokas—including the nether realms—the devotee centers worship on Pati (Shiva) as the Lord transcending every region, purifying fear and attachment through Linga-dhyana.

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

Though Shiva is not named, the verse implies a graded cosmos of material qualities; Shiva-tattva stands beyond these variegated domains as Pati—unconditioned consciousness—while all worlds remain within His ordered manifestation (śakti-vyāpāra).

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

A yogic practice of cosmic visualization (bhuvana-smaraṇa) is implied: reflecting on the worlds’ forms and colors cultivates vairāgya in the pashu (bound soul) and steadies meditation toward the Linga as the axis of all realms.