Shloka 32

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

Devanagari script

आवयोश्चाभवद्युद्धं सुघोरं रोमहर्षणम् प्रलयार्णवमध्ये तु रजसा बद्धवैरयोः

Transliteration

āvayoścābhavadyuddhaṃ sughoraṃ romaharṣaṇam pralayārṇavamadhye tu rajasā baddhavairayoḥ

Translation

在我们二者之间，竟生起一场极其可怖、令人毛骨悚然的争战；就在大毁灭（pralaya）的海洋之中，因为我们的仇怨被rajas（激情与躁动之力）牢牢系缚。

Word by Word

• āvayoḥ: between us (of the two)

• ca: and

• abhavat: arose/occurred

• yuddham: battle

• su-ghoram: exceedingly terrible

• roma-harṣaṇam: causing horripilation/terror

• pralaya-arṇava-madhye: in the midst of the ocean of dissolution

• tu: indeed

• rajasā: by rajas (passion, agitation)

• baddha-vairayoḥ: of the two whose hostility was bound/fastened

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating an internal account of the Brahma–Vishnu conflict around the Linga’s manifestation)

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Vishnu
• Shiva

FAQs

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

It frames the Brahma–Vishnu rivalry as a rājasic bondage; the Linga’s manifestation functions as the Shaiva axis that dissolves such ego-born conflict and reorients worship toward Pati (Shiva), the supreme stabilizing reality.

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

By highlighting that the combat is driven by rajas even amid pralaya, the verse implies Shiva-tattva as that which is beyond the guṇas—Pati who reveals Himself (as Linga) to end guṇa-driven delusion and establish true knowledge.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The key takeaway is guṇa-śuddhi: Pāśupata discipline aims to pacify rajas (and tamas), so the pashu (soul) is freed from pasha (bondage) and becomes fit for Linga-upāsanā rooted in steadiness, not rivalry.