Shloka 142

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

Devanagari script

संवृतस्तमसा चैव बीजाङ्कुरवदावृतः बहिरन्तश्चाप्रकाशस् तब्धो निःसंज्ञ एव च

Transliteration

saṃvṛtastamasā caiva bījāṅkuravadāvṛtaḥ bahirantaścāprakāśas tabdho niḥsaṃjña eva ca

Translation

అతడు తమస్సుతో కప్పబడి, విత్తనంలోని మొలకవలె ఆవరించబడి ఉన్నాడు; బాహ్యాంతర ప్రకాశం లేక, స్థబ్ధుడై, నిస్సంజ్ఞుడివలె ఉన్నాడు।

Word by Word

• संवृतः (saṃvṛtaḥ): enclosed, veiled

• तमसा (tamasā): by darkness, inertia (tamas)

• चैव (caiva): and indeed

• बीज-अङ्कुर-वत् (bīja-aṅkura-vat): like a seed-sprout (sprout hidden in a seed)

• आवृतः (āvṛtaḥ): covered, wrapped

• बहिः (bahiḥ): outwardly

• अन्तः (antaḥ): inwardly

• च (ca): and

• अप्रकाशः (aprakāśaḥ): without light, non-luminous

• स्तब्धः (stabdhaḥ): stunned, rigid, inert

• निःसंज्ञः (niḥsaṃjñaḥ): without consciousness/recognition

• एव (eva): certainly

• च (ca): and

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimisharanya, describing the pashu under pāśa and tamas)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It frames why Linga-puja is necessary: the pashu is veiled by tamas and lacks inner and outer clarity; worship of the Linga is a Shaiva means to dissolve this obscuration and turn the awareness toward Pati (Shiva).

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

By contrast: Shiva-tattva is prakāśa (self-luminous consciousness) and the revealer of knowledge, while the bound pashu is described as aprakāśa due to pāśa—implying Shiva alone can restore illumination and recognition.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The verse points to the need for Pāśupata-oriented sādhanā—purification and awakening practices (puja, japa, dhyāna) aimed at removing tamas and restoring inner prakāśa (clarity) so the pashu can orient to Pati.