Shloka 51

Devanagari script

अदेहिनस् त्वहो देहम् अखिलं परमात्मनः अस्याष्टमूर्तेः शर्वस्य शिवस्य गृहमेधिनः

Transliteration

adehinas tvaho deham akhilaṃ paramātmanaḥ asyāṣṭamūrteḥ śarvasya śivasya gṛhamedhinaḥ

Translation

انظر—مع أنه منزَّهٌ عن الجسد، فإن الكون كلَّه هو جسدُ ذلك البارماتمان: جسدُ شَرْڤا (Śarva)، شِڤا (Śiva)، ربِّ الهيئة الثمانية، الذي يقيم حتى كربّ بيتٍ يُقيم أودَ العالم ويُسنده.

Word by Word

• अदेहिनः: of the bodiless One

• तु: indeed

• अहो: behold/indeed

• देहम्: body

• अखिलम्: entire, all

• परमात्मनः: of the Supreme Self

• अस्य: of this (Lord)

• अष्टमूर्तेः: of the eight-formed manifestation (Aṣṭamūrti)

• शर्वस्य: of Śarva (a name of Shiva, the One who destroys evil)

• शिवस्य: of Śiva (the auspicious Lord)

• गृहमेधिनः: of the householder/world-sustainer (gṛhastha aspect)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Linga Purana doctrine to the sages of Naimisharanya, reflecting the Purana’s Shaiva siddhanta framing)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Paramatman
• Sharva

FAQs

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

It establishes the core Linga-Purana vision that Shiva is both transcendent (bodiless) and immanent (the whole cosmos as His body), so Linga worship is not merely symbolic—it is worship of the all-pervading Pati present in every form.

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

Shiva is the Paramatman beyond embodiment, yet manifests as Aṣṭamūrti—an eightfold cosmic presence—showing His sovereignty as Pati: untouched by limitation while pervading and sustaining all tattvas and beings (paśus).

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

It points to Pashupata-style bhāvanā (contemplation): perceiving all experience as occurring within Shiva’s cosmic body, which supports inner purification and loosening of pāśa (bondage) alongside external Linga-pūjā.