Shloka 64

Adhyaya 17: लिङ्गोद्भव—ब्रह्मविष्ण्वहङ्कार-शमनं, ओंकार-प्रादुर्भावः, मन्त्र-तत्त्वं च

Devanagari script

बीजी च बीजं तद्योनिर् नादाख्यश् च महेश्वरः बीजी विभज्य चात्मानं स्वेच्छया तु व्यवस्थितः

Transliteration

bījī ca bījaṃ tadyonir nādākhyaś ca maheśvaraḥ bījī vibhajya cātmānaṃ svecchayā tu vyavasthitaḥ

Translation

Mahādeva tự thân là Đấng mang Hạt giống và cũng chính là Hạt giống; Ngài lại là lòng mẹ của hạt giống ấy, và là Chúa Tể được gọi là Nāda—Âm thanh nguyên sơ. Tự phân chia chính mình thành Đấng mang hạt giống, Ngài an trụ theo ý chí tự tại của Ngài.

Word by Word

• bījī: the Seed-bearer (cause possessing the power of manifestation)

• ca: and

• bījam: the seed (primordial causal potency)

• tat-yoniḥ: the womb/source of that (matrix of manifestation)

• nāda-ākhyaḥ: named/known as Nāda (primordial sound-vibration)

• ca: and

• maheśvaraḥ: Maheshvara, the Supreme Lord

• bījī: as the Seed-bearer

• vibhajya: having divided/differentiated

• ca: and

• ātmānam: His own Self

• sva-icchayā: by His own will (svātantrya)

• tu: indeed

• vyavasthitaḥ: remains established/abides in ordered presence.

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Linga’s primordial manifestation to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Maheshvara
• Nada

FAQs

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

It frames the Linga as the supreme causal symbol: Shiva is simultaneously the seed, its womb/source, and the vibrating Nāda—so Linga-puja is worship of the very ground of creation, not merely a form.

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

Shiva is presented as Pati endowed with svātantrya (free sovereignty): He manifests multiplicity by ‘dividing’ His own power while remaining established as the one Maheshvara—cause, source, and sound-principle.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Nāda-upāsanā (contemplation of the primordial sound) and causal meditation on the bīja (seed) are implied—core to Shaiva yogic inward worship that supports Linga-puja and Pashupata-oriented discipline.