Shloka 1

उपमन्युना कृष्णाय पाशुपतज्ञान-प्रदानम् तथा दानविधि-फलश्रुतिः

Devanagari script

इति श्रीलिङ्गमहापुराणे पूर्वभागे उपमन्युचरितं नाम सप्ताधिकशततमो ऽध्यायः ऋषय ऊचुः दृष्टो ऽसौ वासुदेवेन कृष्णेनाक्लिष्टकर्मणा धौम्याग्रजस्ततो लब्धं दिव्यं पाशुपतं व्रतम्

Transliteration

iti śrīliṅgamahāpurāṇe pūrvabhāge upamanyucaritaṃ nāma saptādhikaśatatamo 'dhyāyaḥ ṛṣaya ūcuḥ dṛṣṭo 'sau vāsudevena kṛṣṇenākliṣṭakarmaṇā dhaumyāgrajastato labdhaṃ divyaṃ pāśupataṃ vratam

Translation

Thus, in the first part of the holy Liṅga Mahāpurāṇa, in the chapter called “The Deeds of Upamanyu,” the sages said: “He—Dhaumya’s elder brother—was seen by Vāsudeva Kṛṣṇa, whose actions are effortless and untainted; and from that encounter he obtained the divine Pāśupata observance (vrata), the discipline that leads the bound soul (paśu) toward the Lord (Pati) by cutting the fetters (pāśa).”

Word by Word

• iti: thus

• śrī-liṅga-mahāpurāṇe: in the sacred Linga Mahapurana

• pūrva-bhāge: in the first part (Purva-bhaga)

• upamanyu-caritaṃ nāma: named 'Upamanyu’s narrative/deeds'

• saptādhika-śatatamaḥ adhyāyaḥ: the 107th chapter (literally, 'one hundred and seven')

• ṛṣayaḥ ūcuḥ: the sages said

• dṛṣṭaḥ: was seen/encountered

• asau: he (that person)

• vāsudevena: by Vasudeva (Krishna)

• kṛṣṇena: by Krishna

• akliṣṭa-karmaṇā: whose actions are untroubled/unstained

• dhaumya-agrajaḥ: the elder brother of Dhaumya

• tataḥ: then/from that

• labdham: obtained

• divyam: divine

• pāśupatam: pertaining to Pāśupati (Shiva) / Pāśupata path

• vratam: vow, observance, disciplined religious practice

Speaker

Sages (Ṛṣayaḥ) at Naimiṣāraṇya (within Sūta’s overarching narration)

Characters & Entities

• Vasudeva Krishna
• Pashupati (Shiva)

FAQs

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

It introduces the Upamanyu narrative by highlighting the Pāśupata-vrata—an archetypal Shaiva discipline that culminates in devotion to Pāśupati (Shiva), the inner meaning behind liṅga-upāsanā as a method to sever pāśa (bondage).

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

By naming the observance “Pāśupata,” it points to Shiva as Pati—the sovereign Lord of all paśus (individual souls), whose grace and prescribed discipline liberate the soul from pāśa (karmic and existential fetters).

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The verse foregrounds the divine Pāśupata-vrata, a Shaiva observance aligned with Pāśupata Yoga—discipline, vow, and worship aimed at purification and liberation through Pāśupati.