Linga Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 177

Adhyaya 72 — Puradāha: Rudra’s Cosmic Chariot, Pāśupata-Vrata, and Brahmā’s Shiva-Stuti

Devanagari script

दत्त्वा तस्मै ब्रह्मणे विष्णवे च दग्ध्वा दैत्यान्देवदेवो महात्मा सार्धं देव्या नन्दिना भूतसंघैर् अन्तर्धानं कारयामास शर्वः

Transliteration

dattvā tasmai brahmaṇe viṣṇave ca dagdhvā daityāndevadevo mahātmā sārdhaṃ devyā nandinā bhūtasaṃghair antardhānaṃ kārayāmāsa śarvaḥ

Translation

Having granted it to that Brahmā and also to Viṣṇu, the great-souled Lord of the Devas—after burning the Daityas—Śarva caused himself to disappear, together with the Goddess, Nandin, and the hosts of Bhūtas; thus did he withdraw from manifest view.

Word by Word

• दत्त्वा: having given/bestowed

• तस्मै: to him

• ब्रह्मणे: to Brahmā

• विष्णवे: to Viṣṇu

• च: and

• दग्ध्वा: having burned

• दैत्यान्: the Daityas (demonic foes of the Devas)

• देवदेवः: the God of gods

• महात्मा: great-souled, exalted Self

• सार्धम्: together with

• देव्या: with the Goddess (Śakti/Devī)

• नन्दिना: with Nandin

• भूतसंघैः: with the assemblages of Bhūtas (Śiva’s spirits/attendants)

• अन्तर्धानम्: disappearance, concealment (withdrawal from perception)

• कारयामास: caused/made to happen

• शर्वः: Śarva (Śiva).

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva (Śarva/Devadeva)
• Devi (Shakti)
• Brahma
• Vishnu
• Nandin
• Bhuta-gana
• Daityas

FAQs

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

It frames Śiva as Pati (the Lord) who both manifests to protect dharma and then withdraws (antardhāna), implying that worship—often through the Linga as an accessible sign—bridges the devotee (paśu) to the ever-transcendent Lord beyond direct perception.

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

Śiva-tattva is shown as sovereign agency: he grants powers/boons, destroys adharma (burns the Daityas), and remains ultimately ungraspable by ordinary senses through antardhāna—revealing the transcendent Pati who is free from limitation (pāśa) while still acting compassionately in the world.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The verse implies the contemplative discipline of recognizing Śiva’s presence even in concealment—supporting Linga-upāsanā and Pāśupata-oriented practice where the sādhaka steadies awareness of the Lord beyond appearances, while honoring his attendants (Nandin, bhūta-gaṇas) within traditional pūjā frameworks.