Shloka 7

अलिङ्ग-लिङ्ग-निरूपणं तथा प्राकृत-सृष्टिवर्णनम्

Devanagari script

एकेनैव हृतं विश्वं व्याप्तं त्वेवं शिवेन तु अलिङ्गं चैव लिङ्गं च लिङ्गालिङ्गानि मूर्तयः

Transliteration

ekenaiva hṛtaṃ viśvaṃ vyāptaṃ tvevaṃ śivena tu aliṅgaṃ caiva liṅgaṃ ca liṅgāliṅgāni mūrtayaḥ

Translation

Chỉ bởi Đấng Nhất Thể ấy mà toàn thể vũ trụ được nâng giữ và thấm nhuần trọn vẹn—ấy là bởi Śiva. Ngài vừa là Aliṅga (vô tướng, không dấu hiệu) vừa là Liṅga (hữu tướng, có dấu hiệu); các hình thái của Ngài có ba: vô hiển, hiển lộ như Liṅga, và vừa hiển vừa vô hiển.

Word by Word

• ekena eva: by the One alone

• hṛtam: sustained/borne (upheld)

• viśvam: the universe

• vyāptam: pervaded

• tu: indeed

• evaṃ: thus

• śivena: by Shiva

• aliṅgam: without sign/mark, unmanifest (nirliṅga)

• ca eva: and also

• liṅgam: with sign/mark, the Linga (symbolic form)

• liṅga-aliṅgāni: both marked-and-unmarked, mixed mode (manifest–unmanifest)

• mūrtayaḥ: forms/embodiments

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Shaiva doctrine to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Linga

FAQs

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

It legitimizes Linga-puja as worship of Shiva’s accessible “marked” form (liṅga) while affirming that the same Shiva is ultimately beyond all marks (aliṅga), so the symbol leads the devotee toward the transcendental Pati.

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

Shiva is presented as the One who pervades and upholds all, simultaneously transcendent (aliṅga, beyond attributes) and immanent (liṅga, revealed through a sacred sign), with manifestations spanning unmanifest, manifest, and mixed modes.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

It implies a twofold discipline: external Linga-puja (upacara, abhisheka) for embodied devotion, and internal Pashupata-style contemplation on the aliṅga Shiva—moving the pashu (soul) beyond pasha (bondage) toward Pati.