Linga Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 50

भुवनकोशविन्यासनिर्णयः (ज्योतिर्गति-वृष्टिचक्र-वर्णनम्)

Devanagari script

मूकाः सशब्ददुष्टाशास् त्व् एतैः कृत्यं यथाक्रमम् क्षामवृष्टिप्रदा दीर्घकालं शीतसमीरिणः

Transliteration

mūkāḥ saśabdaduṣṭāśās tv etaiḥ kṛtyaṃ yathākramam kṣāmavṛṣṭipradā dīrghakālaṃ śītasamīriṇaḥ

Translation

Some become mute; others, though speaking, utter harsh and corrupted commands. By these disorders the ordained duties are disrupted in their proper sequence. They bring scanty rains, and for a long time cold winds prevail—signs that dharma has been wounded and the bonds of pāśa tighten upon the embodied souls (paśu).

Word by Word

• मूकाः (mūkāḥ): mute, speechless

• सशब्द (saśabda): having speech, speaking

• दुष्टाशासः (duṣṭāśāsaḥ): of wicked/harsh injunctions, issuing corrupt commands

• तु (tu): but/indeed

• एतैः (etaiḥ): by these (conditions/people)

• कृत्यम् (kṛtyam): duty, what ought to be done (prescribed action)

• यथाक्रमम् (yathākramam): in proper order, sequentially as ordained

• क्षामवृष्टिप्रदाः (kṣāma-vṛṣṭi-pradāḥ): giving meagre rainfall, causing drought-like rains

• दीर्घकालम् (dīrgha-kālam): for a long time

• शीतसमीरिणः (śīta-samīriṇaḥ): having cold winds, marked by chilly breezes

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It frames social disorder and failed ritual-dharma as cosmic imbalance (scarcity of rain, cold winds), implying that re-centering life on Shiva through Linga-oriented dharma and worship restores ṛta (order) and loosens pāśa (bondage).

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

Shiva-tattva is implied as Pati—the stabilizing Lord of order—whose presence upholds proper sequence (yathākramam) in duty and nature; when beings deviate, the world reflects that rupture until alignment with Shiva-dharma is regained.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

No single rite is named, but the verse points to maintaining prescribed karmas in proper order; in a Shaiva frame this aligns with disciplined Shiva-puja and Pashupata-style self-regulation to prevent dharma-kṣaya and its worldly consequences.