Shloka 35

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

Devanagari script

रसमात्रास्तु ता ह्यापो रूपमात्रो ऽग्निर् आवृणोत् आपश्चापि विकुर्वत्यो गन्धमात्रं ससर्जिरे

Transliteration

rasamātrāstu tā hyāpo rūpamātro 'gnir āvṛṇot āpaścāpi vikurvatyo gandhamātraṃ sasarjire

Translation

彼诸水唯以“味”而成；唯以“色相”而成之火，覆护包裹其上。诸水亦复变异，唯生“香之微理”（gandha-mātra）——如是诸大之展开，皆在主宰Pati（Śiva）统领创造之下而行。

Word by Word

• rasa-mātrāḥ: consisting only of taste (tanmātra)

• tu: indeed

• tāḥ: those

• hi: surely

• āpaḥ: waters

• rūpa-mātraḥ: consisting only of form (tanmātra)

• agniḥ: fire

• āvṛṇot: covered/enveloped

• āpaḥ ca api: and the waters also

• vikurvatyaḥ: transforming/modifying

• gandha-mātram: the subtle principle of smell alone

• sasarjire: they produced/emanated

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the cosmological sequence to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

By detailing how subtle elements (tanmātras) unfold into the cosmos, the verse supports Linga worship as contemplation of Shiva (Pati) as the inner governor of all manifestation—worship of the Linga becomes worship of the source and support of the tattvas.

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

Even while describing material evolution (taste, form, fragrance), the implied Shaiva Siddhanta frame is that tattvas do not evolve independently: Shiva as Pati presides over and orders the sequence, while the pashu (bound soul) experiences these qualities under pāśa (bondage).

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

This verse is primarily tattva-teaching for contemplative practice: in Pashupata-oriented meditation, one discriminates sensory tanmātras from the witnessing Self and turns the mind toward Pati (Shiva), the transcendent ground beyond taste, form, and fragrance.