Linga Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 179

Adhyaya 70: आदिसर्गः—महत्-अहङ्कार-तन्मात्रा-भूतसृष्टिः, ब्रह्माण्डावरणम्, प्रजासर्गः, त्रिमूर्ति-शैवाधिष्ठानम्

Devanagari script

आपो ऽग्निं पृथिवीं वायुम् अन्तरिक्षं दिवं तथा समुद्रांश् च नदीश्चैव तथा शैलवनस्पतीन्

Transliteration

āpo 'gniṃ pṛthivīṃ vāyum antarikṣaṃ divaṃ tathā samudrāṃś ca nadīścaiva tathā śailavanaspatīn

Translation

The waters, fire, the earth, the wind, the mid-space and the heavenly realm; likewise the oceans and the rivers, and also the mountains and the lordly trees—all these are encompassed within the manifest field of the Pati, Lord Śiva.

Word by Word

• आपः: waters

• अग्निम्: fire

• पृथिवीम्: earth

• वायुम्: wind

• अन्तरिक्षम्: mid-space/atmosphere

• दिवम्: heaven/celestial sphere

• तथा: and also/likewise

• समुद्रान्: oceans

• च: and

• नदीः: rivers

• च एव: and indeed/also

• तथा: likewise

• शैल: mountains

• वनस्पतीन्: trees/lords of the forest (great trees)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It supports Linga-upāsanā by framing the entire elemental cosmos—waters, fire, earth, wind, space, heaven, oceans, rivers, mountains, and trees—as Śiva’s manifest domain, encouraging worship that sees the Linga as the all-containing support (ādhāra) of creation.

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

Śiva-tattva is indicated as Pati who pervades and governs the visible categories of the world; the enumerated realms are not independent realities but expressions within His śakti, while He remains the sovereign consciousness behind them.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Elemental contemplation (bhūta-smaraṇa/bhūta-śuddhi) is implied: in Pāśupata-aligned practice, the sādhaka views the elements and natural powers as pervaded by Pati, loosening pāśa (bondage) through recognition (pratyabhijñā) of Śiva’s all-encompassing presence.