Shloka 38

विष्णुरुवाच—एकाक्षर-प्रणव-लिङ्ग-व्याप्ति-शिवस्तोत्रम्

Devanagari script

कनकाङ्गदहाराय नमः सर्पोपवीतिने सर्पकुण्डलमालाय कटिसूत्रीकृताहिने

Transliteration

kanakāṅgadahārāya namaḥ sarpopavītine sarpakuṇḍalamālāya kaṭisūtrīkṛtāhine

Translation

Salutations to Him who bears golden armlets and necklaces; salutations to the Lord whose sacred thread is a serpent; to Him whose earrings and garlands are serpents; and to Him who has made a serpent His girdle at the waist.

Word by Word

• kanaka: gold

• aṅgada: armlet/bracelet

• hāra: necklace/garland

• -āya: to (dative, ‘unto’)

• namaḥ: salutation

• sarpa: serpent

• upavītin: one who wears the sacred thread

• kuṇḍala: earring

• mālā: garland

• kaṭi: waist

• sūtra: cord/thread

• -īkṛta: made into/formed as

• ahi: serpent

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating a Shiva-stuti within the Linga Purana discourse)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It functions as a dhyana-stuti for Linga-puja, fixing the devotee’s mind on Mahadeva’s Rudra-form—adorned with serpents—thereby invoking Pati (the Lord) who dissolves pasha (bondage) and protects the pashu (soul).

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

Shiva is shown as the sovereign ascetic-lord who wears even fearsome forces (serpents) as ornaments—signifying transcendence over death, time, and terror, and His absolute mastery as Pashupati.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Nama-japa and dhyana are implied: meditating on Shiva’s serpent-emblems supports inner steadiness in Pashupata-oriented practice, where prana, fear, and attachment are brought under discipline in devotion to Pati.