Shloka 43

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

Devanagari script

आकाशं शब्दमात्रं च स्पर्शमात्रं समाविशत् द्विगुणस्तु ततो वायुः शब्दस्पर्शात्मको ऽभवत्

Transliteration

ākāśaṃ śabdamātraṃ ca sparśamātraṃ samāviśat dviguṇastu tato vāyuḥ śabdasparśātmako 'bhavat

Translation

కేవలం శబ్ద-తన్మాత్ర నుండే ఆకాశము ఉద్భవించింది. అందులో స్పర్శ-తన్మాత్ర ప్రవేశించగా వాయువు ప్రదర్శితమై, శబ్ద-స్పర్శ అనే రెండు గుణములతో యుక్తమైంది.

Word by Word

• आकाशम्: ether/space-element

• शब्दमात्रम्: the subtle principle of sound alone (śabda-tanmātra)

• च: and

• स्पर्शमात्रम्: the subtle principle of touch alone (sparśa-tanmātra)

• समाविशत्: entered/pervaded

• द्विगुणः: having two qualities

• तु: indeed/then

• ततः: from that/thereafter

• वायुः: air/wind-element

• शब्दस्पर्शात्मकः: of the nature of sound and touch

• अभवत्: became/manifested

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the cosmology of manifestation within the Linga Purana tradition)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It explains the graded emergence of the elements (ākāśa → vāyu) from tanmātras; Linga worship points the devotee back from these manifest layers to Pati (Shiva), the source beyond the tattvas.

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

Shiva-tattva is implied as the transcendent Pati who causes orderly manifestation; the verse describes the dependent tattvas (elements and tanmātras) that arise within His power, not as independent realities.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

A contemplative tattva-viveka used in Shaiva/Pashupata-aligned sadhana: meditating on the elements’ qualities (sound, touch) to withdraw awareness from gross bhutas toward the subtle and ultimately toward Shiva.