Shloka 86

Devanagari script

स वै शरीरी प्रथमः स वै पुरुष उच्यते ब्रह्मा च भगवांस्तस्माच् चतुर्वक्त्रः प्रजापतिः

Transliteration

sa vai śarīrī prathamaḥ sa vai puruṣa ucyate brahmā ca bhagavāṃstasmāc caturvaktraḥ prajāpatiḥ

Translation

พระองค์นั้นเองทรงเป็นผู้มีสรีระองค์แรก; เพราะเหตุนั้นจึงทรงได้พระนามว่า ‘ปุรุษะ’ พระพรหมผู้เป็นภควาน จากการอุบัติขึ้นนั้นเองทรงเป็น ‘ปรชาปติ’ สี่พักตร์—ผู้เริ่มขับเคลื่อนการสร้างสรรพสิ่งและบิดาแห่งประชา।

Word by Word

• स (sa): he

• वै (vai): indeed

• शरीरी (śarīrī): embodied being

• प्रथमः (prathamaḥ): the first

• पुरुषः (puruṣaḥ): Puruṣa, primordial person

• उच्यते (ucyate): is called

• ब्रह्मा (brahmā): Brahmā

• च (ca): and

• भगवांस् (bhagavāṃs): the blessed/lordly one

• तस्मात् (tasmāt): from that/therefore

• चतुर्वक्त्रः (caturvaktraḥ): four-faced

• प्रजापतिः (prajāpatiḥ): lord of creatures/progenitor

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the cosmogony to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Prajapati
• Purusha

FAQs

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

It frames creation as proceeding through a secondary creator (Brahmā) who becomes the first embodied progenitor—supporting the Shaiva view that the supreme Pati (Shiva) is the ultimate source, while embodied cosmogenesis unfolds through appointed agencies.

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

By emphasizing the “first embodied being” as a derived role, it implies Shiva-tattva as prior to embodiment and prior to the Puruṣa-function—Pati remains transcendent and sovereign, while Brahmā operates as the manifested creator within the field of Pasha (cosmic limitation).

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

No direct puja-vidhi is stated; the takeaway is contemplative: in Pashupata-oriented reflection, the yogin distinguishes Pati (Shiva) from Pashu (the embodied soul) and recognizes creation as a structured emanation rather than the ultimate reality.