Linga Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 17

विष्णुरुवाच—एकाक्षर-प्रणव-लिङ्ग-व्याप्ति-शिवस्तोत्रम्

Devanagari script

सुहोत्राय हविष्याय सुब्रह्मण्याय सूरिणे सुमुखाय सुवक्त्राय दुर्दमाय दमाय च

Transliteration

suhotrāya haviṣyāya subrahmaṇyāya sūriṇe sumukhāya suvaktrāya durdamāya damāya ca

Translation

Salutations to the Auspicious Sacrificer, to Him who is the very oblation; to the benefactor of sacred prayer and right order; to the wise seer; to the One of gracious face and noble speech; to the unconquerable, and to the One who disciplines and restrains.

Word by Word

• सुहोत्राय: to the one of auspicious offering/sacrificial invocation

• हविष्याय: to the oblation itself (the offered havis)

• सुब्रह्मण्याय: to the promoter/protector of brahman (sacred prayer, Vedic order)

• सूरिणे: to the wise one, seer (sūri)

• सुमुखाय: to the one with a beautiful/benign face

• सुवक्त्राय: to the one with excellent speech/utterance (or fair countenance)

• दुर्दमाय: to the hard-to-subdue, unconquerable one

• दमाय: to the self-controlled one / the tamer who restrains

• च: and

Speaker

Suta Goswami (reciting the Shiva-Sahasranama within the Linga Purana narration)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It identifies Shiva as both the sacrificer and the oblation, teaching that Linga-puja is not merely an external act: the worshipper (pashu) offers the self into Shiva (Pati), dissolving pasha (bondage) through disciplined devotion.

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

Shiva-tattva is presented as the inner principle of yajña—He is the power behind mantra (subrahmaṇya) and the wise seer (sūri), yet also transcendent and unconquerable (durdamāya), governing and purifying beings through restraint (dama).

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The verse highlights yajña-bhāva (seeing worship as sacred offering) and dama (self-restraint). In a Shaiva-Pashupata sense, dama supports purification of the pashu so the mind becomes fit for Linga-upāsanā and liberation.