Shloka 1

आभ्यन्तरध्यान-तत्त्वगणना-चतुर्व्यूहयोगः

Adhyaya 28

Devanagari script

इति श्रीलिङ्गमहापुराणे पूर्वभागे लिङ्गार्चनविधिर्नाम सप्तविंशो ऽध्यायः शैलादिरुवाच आग्नेयं सौरममृतं बिम्बं भाव्यं ततोपरि गुणत्रयं च हृदये तथा चात्मत्रयं क्रमात्

Transliteration

iti śrīliṅgamahāpurāṇe pūrvabhāge liṅgārcanavidhirnāma saptaviṃśo 'dhyāyaḥ śailādiruvāca āgneyaṃ sauramamṛtaṃ bimbaṃ bhāvyaṃ tatopari guṇatrayaṃ ca hṛdaye tathā cātmatrayaṃ kramāt

Translation

Thus ends, in the Pūrvabhāga of the Śrī Liṅga Mahāpurāṇa, the twenty-seventh chapter called “The Method of Liṅga-Worship.” Śailādi said: “One should contemplate the Liṅga’s inner icon (bimba) successively as fiery (āgneya), solar (saura), and deathless nectar-like (amṛta). Beyond that, one should meditate upon the three guṇas within the heart, and then, in due order, upon the threefold Self (ātma-traya).”

Word by Word

• iti: thus

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

• pūrva-bhāge: in the first section (Purva-Bhaga)

• liṅga-arcana-vidhiḥ-nāma: named 'the procedure of Linga worship'

• saptaviṃśaḥ adhyāyaḥ: the twenty-seventh chapter

• śailādiḥ uvāca: Sailadi said

• āgneyaṃ: pertaining to Agni, fiery

• sauraṃ: pertaining to Surya, solar

• amṛtam: nectar-like, deathless

• bimbam: inner icon/image, meditative form

• bhāvyam: to be contemplated/visualized

• tataḥ upari: beyond that, above that

• guṇa-trayam: the triad of qualities (sattva-rajas-tamas)

• ca: and

• hṛdaye: in the heart

• tathā: likewise

• ca: and

• ātma-trayam: the threefold self/principle of self

• kramāt: in sequence, step-by-step.

Speaker

Śailādi

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Agni
• Surya

FAQs

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

It gives a dhyāna-krama (ordered contemplation) for Liṅga-arcana: visualizing the Liṅga as fire, sun, and amṛta, then internalizing worship through meditation on guṇas and the threefold self—turning outer pūjā into inner sādhana.

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

Śiva-tattva is approached as Pati beyond changing guṇas: the practitioner first contemplates manifest energies (fire/sun/nectar) and then transcends guṇa-conditioning by recognizing the deeper ātma-principle, aligning the pashu (soul) toward liberation from pāśa (bondage).

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

A meditative Linga-dhyāna used in Pāśupata-oriented worship: stepwise visualization (bimba-bhāvanā) culminating in heart-centered contemplation of guṇatraya and ātmatraya as part of inner pūjā and yogic refinement.