Shloka 21

Adhyaya 79 — Bhakti-Mahima and Linga-Archana-Vidhi

Condensed Ritual Sequence

Devanagari script

स्तुत्वा च देवमीशानं पुनः सम्पूज्य शङ्करम् ईशानं पुरुषं चैव अघोरं वाममेव च

Transliteration

stutvā ca devamīśānaṃ punaḥ sampūjya śaṅkaram īśānaṃ puruṣaṃ caiva aghoraṃ vāmameva ca

Translation

بعد أن يسبّح الربّ «إيشانا» ويعود فيُتمّ عبادة «شنكرا» على الوجه اللائق، ينبغي للمتعبّد أن يتأمّل شِيفا ويعبده بوصفه إيشانا، وبوصفه «بوروشا» (تَتْبُوروشا)، وبوصفه «أَغُورَا»، وبوصفه «فَامَا» (فَامَدِيفا).

Word by Word

• स्तुत्वा: having praised

• च: and

• देवम्: the Deity/Lord

• ईशानम्: Īśāna (the ruling, transcendent face of Śiva)

• पुनः: again

• सम्पूज्य: having worshipped completely/duly

• शङ्करम्: Śaṅkara (the auspicious one, Śiva)

• ईशानम्: Īśāna aspect

• पुरुषम्: Puruṣa/Tatpuruṣa aspect (the cosmic person, the indwelling Lord)

• च एव: and indeed

• अघोरम्: Aghora aspect (non-terrifying, grace that removes भय and पाश)

• वामम् एव: Vāma/Vāmadeva aspect (the beautiful, sustaining, Śakti-infused form)

• च: and

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva-puja procedure within the Linga Purana discourse)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Shankara
• Ishana
• Tatpurusha
• Aghora
• Vamadeva

FAQs

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

It frames Linga-puja as more than offering rites: the worshipper praises and re-worships Śiva while inwardly aligning with the Pañcabrahma (five-fold) reality of the Linga—recognizing Śiva as Pati who sanctifies the ritual and liberates the pashu from pāśa.

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

Śiva-tattva is presented as multi-aspected yet one: Īśāna (sovereign-transcendent), Tatpuruṣa/Puruṣa (immanent indweller), Aghora (grace that removes fear and impurity), and Vāmadeva (beauty, preservation, Śakti-filled auspiciousness).

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

A puja-vidhi joined to contemplative yoga: after stuti and formal worship, the sādhaka performs Pañcabrahma-smaraṇa (meditative identification of Śiva’s aspects), a Pāśupata-oriented inner practice supporting purification and release from bondage.