Shloka 1

युगधर्मवर्णनम् — चतुर्युग, गुण, धर्मपाद, तथा वार्तोत्पत्ति

Devanagari script

इति श्रीलिङ्गमहापुराणे पूर्वभागे वैष्णवकथनं नामाष्टत्रिंशो ऽध्यायः शैलादिरुवाच श्रुत्वा शक्रेण कथितं पिता मम महामुनिः पुनः पप्रच्छ देवेशं प्रणम्य रचिताञ्जलिः

Transliteration

iti śrīliṅgamahāpurāṇe pūrvabhāge vaiṣṇavakathanaṃ nāmāṣṭatriṃśo 'dhyāyaḥ śailādiruvāca śrutvā śakreṇa kathitaṃ pitā mama mahāmuniḥ punaḥ papraccha deveśaṃ praṇamya racitāñjaliḥ

Translation

وهكذا ينتهي، في «شري لينغا مهابورانا» (القسم الأول)، الفصل الثامن والثلاثون المسمّى «الحديث عن فيشنو». قال شيلادي: لما سمع ما قاله شَكرا (إندرا)، عاد أبي—الناسِك العظيم—فسأل ربَّ الآلهة مرةً أخرى؛ فانحنى ساجدًا وتكلّم ويداه مضمومتان بخشوع.

Word by Word

• iti: thus/so

• śrī-liṅga-mahāpurāṇe: in the auspicious Liṅga Mahāpurāṇa

• pūrvabhāge: in the former section (Pūrvabhāga)

• vaiṣṇava-kathanaṃ: narration/account concerning Viṣṇu

• nāma: named/called

• aṣṭa-triṃśaḥ adhyāyaḥ: the thirty-eighth chapter

• śailādiḥ uvāca: Śailādi said

• śrutvā: having heard

• śakreṇa: by Śakra (Indra)

• kathitam: spoken/told

• pitā mama: my father

• mahāmuniḥ: the great sage

• punaḥ: again

• papraccha: asked/inquired

• deveśam: the Lord of the Devas

• praṇamya: having bowed

• racita-añjaliḥ: with hands joined (añjali) arranged/formed

Speaker

Śailādi

Characters & Entities

• Śailādi
• Śakra (Indra)
• Deveśa (Lord of the Devas)

FAQs

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

It sets the narrative transition: after hearing Indra’s account, the sage approaches the Lord with praṇāma and añjali—showing the proper devotional and disciplined attitude that precedes receiving instruction on Liṅga-tattva and worship.

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

By calling the addressed deity “Deveśa” (Lord of the Devas), it points to the Pati principle—supreme lordship—before whom even divine powers and the bound soul (paśu) adopt humility to seek liberating knowledge.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Praṇāma and añjali (reverential bowing with joined palms) are highlighted as foundational disciplines—outer signs of inner śaraṇāgati—supporting the seeker’s readiness for Shaiva teaching and Pāśupata-oriented inquiry.