Shloka 50

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

Devanagari script

तेषां यावच्च तद् यच्च यच्च तावद्गुणं स्मृतम् उपलभ्याप्सु वै गन्धं केचिद् ब्रूयुर् अपां गुणम्

Transliteration

teṣāṃ yāvacca tad yacca yacca tāvadguṇaṃ smṛtam upalabhyāpsu vai gandhaṃ kecid brūyur apāṃ guṇam

Translation

Trong các đại chủng ấy, bất cứ mức độ và loại tính chất nào được ghi nhớ như thước đo phẩm tính của chúng—có người, do cảm nhận được hương ngay cả trong nước, bèn nói rằng “mùi” cũng là một phẩm tính của thủy đại.

Word by Word

• तेषाम् (teṣām): of them (the elements)

• यावत् (yāvat): as much as, to the extent

• च (ca): and

• तत् (tat): that

• यत् (yat): which

• च (ca): and

• यच्च (yac ca): and whatever

• तावत्-गुणम् (tāvat-guṇam): that many qualities, corresponding measure of qualities

• स्मृतम् (smṛtam): is remembered/declared in tradition

• उपलभ्य (upalabhya): having perceived, having found

• अप्सु (apsu): in waters

• वै (vai): indeed

• गन्धम् (gandham): smell, fragrance

• केचित् (kecit): some (thinkers)

• ब्रूयुः (brūyuḥ): would say, declare

• अपाम् (apām): of waters

• गुणम् (guṇam): a quality/attribute

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Linga Purana discourse to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It frames creation in terms of bhūtas and their guṇas, reminding the worshipper that offerings like water (jala) are not merely material but carry specific tattvic qualities used for purification before approaching the Linga, the sign of Pati (Shiva) beyond the guṇas.

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

By discussing shifting opinions about elemental qualities, the verse indirectly highlights that all guṇas belong to prakṛti and the bhūtas, while Shiva as Pati is the transcendent ground who is not limited by these sensory properties, even though He pervades them.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

A tattva-aware discipline: in puja and Pāśupata-oriented practice, one contemplates the guṇas of elements (like water) to withdraw the pashu (individual soul) from sense-objects and purify bondage (pāśa) through discernment (viveka).