Linga Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 64

देवैर्विष्णोः शरणागमनम्—शिवलिङ्गस्थापनं, शिवसहस्रनामस्तवः, सुदर्शनचक्रप्रदानं च

Devanagari script

संवत्सरकरो मन्त्रः प्रत्ययः सर्वदर्शनः अजः सर्वेश्वरः स्निग्धो महारेता महाबलः

Transliteration

saṃvatsarakaro mantraḥ pratyayaḥ sarvadarśanaḥ ajaḥ sarveśvaraḥ snigdho mahāretā mahābalaḥ

Translation

তেওঁ সংবৎসৰচক্ৰৰ কৰ্তা; তেওঁ নিজেই পবিত্ৰ মন্ত্ৰ। তেওঁ প্ৰত্যয়—নিশ্চয়ৰ আধাৰ—আৰু সৰ্বদৰ্শী। তেওঁ অজ (অজন্মা), সৰ্বেশ্বৰ, কৃপাৰে স্নিগ্ধ; মহাৰেতা (মহাশক্তিসম্পন্ন) আৰু মহাবলবান।

Word by Word

• संवत्सर-करः: maker of the year-cycle (time)

• मन्त्रः: mantra, sacred formula

• प्रत्ययः: sure knowledge, certitude, trustworthy foundation

• सर्व-दर्शनः: all-seeing, beholder of all

• अजः: unborn

• सर्व-ईश्वरः: Lord of all

• स्निग्धः: gentle, affectionate, gracious

• महा-रेताः: of great generative seed/power (creative potency)

• महा-बलः: of great strength

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Shiva Sahasranama to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It frames the Linga as the sign of Pati (Shiva) who transcends and regulates time (the year-cycle) and is the very Mantra—so worship is not merely external ritual but alignment with the all-seeing Lord who governs creation.

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

Shiva is presented as Aja (unborn) and Sarveshvara (Lord of all), the all-seeing consciousness (sarvadarśana) and the stable ground of true knowing (pratyaya), indicating Pati who is free from pasha (bondage) while granting clarity to the pashu (soul).

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Mantra-japa is implied: since Shiva is “Mantra” itself, Pashupata-oriented practice emphasizes japa and inward seeing—training awareness to rest in the all-seeing Pati beyond temporal cycles.