Shloka 15

Adhyaya 73 — त्रिपुरदाहे ब्रह्मस्तवः

Brahmā’s Hymn in the Context of Tripura’s Burning

Devanagari script

गुणत्रयं चतुर्धाख्यम् अहङ्कारं च सुव्रताः तन्मात्राणि च भूतानि तथा बुद्धीन्द्रियाणि च

Transliteration

guṇatrayaṃ caturdhākhyam ahaṅkāraṃ ca suvratāḥ tanmātrāṇi ca bhūtāni tathā buddhīndriyāṇi ca

Translation

噫，持善誓者：由自性（Prakṛti）生起三德（guṇa）；四分我慢（ahaṅkāra）；诸细境（tanmātra）与诸粗大（bhūta）；以及知觉与作用之诸根。如此显现之序，乃系缚（pāśa）之境域，兽缚之魂（paśu）于其中流转，直至为主宰帕提——湿婆——所解脱。

Word by Word

• गुणत्रयम्: the triad of guṇas (sattva–rajas–tamas)

• चतुर्धा-आख्यम्: described as fourfold

• अहङ्कारम्: ego-principle (ahaṅkāra)

• च: and

• सुव्रताः: O you who are of good vows / disciplined ones

• तन्मात्राणि: subtle elements (sound, touch, form, taste, smell)

• च: and

• भूतानि: gross elements (earth, water, fire, air, ether)

• तथा: likewise

• बुद्धीन्द्रियाणि: cognitive organs / organs of knowing (jñānendriyas)

• च: and

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimisharanya, summarizing the cosmological tattvas in the Linga Purana’s Shaiva framework)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It maps the manifest constituents—guṇas, ahaṅkāra, tanmātras, bhūtas, and indriyas—that must be purified and transcended; Linga worship is presented as a Shaiva means to loosen paśa (bondage) and turn the paśu (soul) toward Pati (Śiva).

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

By listing the evolutes of Prakṛti, the verse implicitly distinguishes Śiva as Pati—beyond these categories—who governs and liberates the soul from identification with guṇas, ego, senses, and elements.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Tattva-viveka (discriminative insight) central to Pāśupata-oriented practice: observing guṇas, ego, and sense-functions as objects, offering them inwardly to the Linga (Śiva), and cultivating detachment that supports mantra-japa, dhyāna, and śiva-pūjā.