Shloka 1

दारुवनलीला—नीललोहितपरीक्षा, ब्रह्मोपदेशः, अतिथिधर्मः, संन्यासक्रमः

Devanagari script

इति श्रीलिङ्गमहापुराणे पूर्वभागे शिवार्चनतत्त्वसंख्यादिवर्णनं नामाष्टाविंशो ऽध्यायः सनत्कुमार उवाच इदानीं श्रोतुमिच्छामि पुरा दारुवने विभो प्रवृत्तं तद्वनस्थानां तपसा भावितात्मनाम्

Transliteration

iti śrīliṅgamahāpurāṇe pūrvabhāge śivārcanatattvasaṃkhyādivarṇanaṃ nāmāṣṭāviṃśo 'dhyāyaḥ sanatkumāra uvāca idānīṃ śrotumicchāmi purā dāruvane vibho pravṛttaṃ tadvanasthānāṃ tapasā bhāvitātmanām

Translation

Thus, in the revered Liṅga Mahāpurāṇa (Pūrvabhāga), in the chapter called “The description of the principles and enumeration of Śiva-worship,” Sanatkumāra said: “O Lord, now I wish to hear what happened long ago in the Dāru forest, among those forest-dwellers whose inner selves were refined by austerity.”

Word by Word

• iti: thus

• śrī-liṅga-mahāpurāṇe: in the sacred Liṅga Mahāpurāṇa

• pūrva-bhāge: in the first section (Pūrvabhāga)

• śiva-arcana: worship of Śiva

• tattva: principle/reality

• saṃkhyā: enumeration/count

• ādi: and related matters

• varṇanam: description

• nāma: named/called

• aṣṭāviṃśaḥ adhyāyaḥ: the twenty-eighth chapter

• sanatkumāraḥ uvāca: Sanatkumāra said

• idānīm: now

• śrotum icchāmi: I desire to hear

• purā: formerly/long ago

• dāruvane: in the Dāru forest

• vibho: O all-pervading Lord

• pravṛttam: that which occurred/took place

• tad-vanasthānām: of those dwelling in that forest

• tapasā: by austerity

• bhāvita-ātmanām: of those whose minds/selves were purified, cultivated, or made spiritually potent

Speaker

Sanatkumara

Characters & Entities

• Sanatkumara
• Shiva

FAQs

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

It frames the transition into a teaching on śivārcana-tattva (the principles of Śiva worship) by introducing the Daruvana episode—an authoritative narrative setting used to reveal how correct orientation to Pati (Śiva) matters more than mere external tapas.

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

By addressing Him as “Vibhu” (the all-pervading Lord), the verse signals Śiva as Pati—transcendent and immanent—toward whom even purified ascetics must turn for true release from pāśa (bondage).

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Tapas (austerity) is highlighted as a preparatory discipline: it refines the antaḥkaraṇa (inner instrument), but the narrative implies that tapas must culminate in proper Śiva-bhakti and śivārcana aligned with Pāśupata orientation to the Lord.