Linga Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 5

ग्रहाद्यधिपत्याभिषेकः

Cosmic Consecrations of Lords of Planets and Domains

Devanagari script

धर्मं पितॄणाम् अधिपं निरृतिं पिशिताशिनाम् रुद्रं पशूनां भूतानां नन्दिनं गणनायकम्

Transliteration

dharmaṃ pitṝṇām adhipaṃ nirṛtiṃ piśitāśinām rudraṃ paśūnāṃ bhūtānāṃ nandinaṃ gaṇanāyakam

Translation

Among the Pitṛs He is Dharma, the sovereign lord; among the flesh-eating beings He is Nirṛti; among the paśus (bound souls and creatures) He is Rudra; and among the bhūtas He is Nandin, commander of the Gaṇas.

Word by Word

• धर्मम् (dharmaṃ): Dharma, cosmic law/personified righteousness

• पितॄणाम् (pitṝṇām): of the ancestral Fathers (Pitṛs)

• अधिपम् (adhipaṃ): overlord, sovereign

• निरृतिम् (nirṛtiṃ): Nirṛti (guardian/force of dissolution, misfortune)

• पिशिताशिनाम् (piśitāśinām): of flesh-eaters (piśitāśins)

• रुद्रम् (rudraṃ): Rudra (the fierce form/name of Shiva)

• पशूनाम् (paśūnām): of paśus, bound beings/souls and creatures

• भूतानाम् (bhūtānām): of bhūtas, elemental beings/spirits

• नन्दिनम् (nandinaṃ): Nandin (Shiva’s chief attendant)

• गणनायकम् (gaṇanāyakam): leader of the Gaṇas (Shiva’s hosts)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating a stuti/naamavali-style enumeration within the Linga Purana narrative)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Dharma
• Pitrs
• Nirrti
• Rudra
• Nandin
• Ganas
• Bhutas

FAQs

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

It frames Shiva as the supreme Pati who presides over every class of beings; Linga-puja is thus worship of the all-governing Lord, not a local or limited deity.

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

Shiva-tattva is shown as sovereign lordship (adhipatya): He manifests appropriate powers and names—Dharma, Nirṛti, Rudra, Nandin—while remaining the one supreme controller of pashu (souls) and their conditions.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The verse supports naamajapa/stuti as a Pashupata-oriented practice: contemplating Shiva’s lordship over pashu and bhūtas cultivates surrender to Pati and loosens pasha (bondage).