Linga Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 104

उमामहेश्वरव्रतं—पञ्चाक्षरमन्त्रस्य माहात्म्यं, न्यासः, जपविधिः, सदाचारः, विनियोगः

Devanagari script

चत्वारिंशत्समावृत्ति प्राणानायम्य संस्मरेत् पञ्चाक्षरस्य मन्त्रस्य प्राणायाम उदाहृतः

Transliteration

catvāriṃśatsamāvṛtti prāṇānāyamya saṃsmaret pañcākṣarasya mantrasya prāṇāyāma udāhṛtaḥ

Translation

Having restrained the vital breath and recollecting (the Lord) with a repetition-cycle of forty, this is declared to be the prāṇāyāma connected with the five-syllabled mantra. By it the paśu is steadied for Śiva-remembrance and Liṅga-worship.

Word by Word

• चत्वारिंशत् (catvāriṃśat): forty

• समावृत्ति (samāvṛtti): repetition-cycle, complete round of recitation

• प्राणान् (prāṇān): the vital breaths

• आयम्य (āyamya): restraining, regulating

• संस्मरेत् (saṃsmaret): should recollect, should meditate/remember

• पञ्चाक्षरस्य (pañcākṣarasya): of the five-syllabled (mantra)

• मन्त्रस्य (mantrasya): of the mantra

• प्राणायामः (prāṇāyāmaḥ): breath-regulation, yogic restraint of prāṇa

• उदाहृतः (udāhṛtaḥ): is proclaimed/declared.

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shaiva ritual-yoga instructions within the Purva-Bhaga context)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It frames prāṇāyāma as a preparatory limb of Linga-pūjā: regulating prāṇa and repeating the pañcākṣarī aligns the worshipper’s inner instrument (antaḥkaraṇa) for steady Śiva-smaraṇa, making the external ritual inwardly effective.

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

Śiva is implied as Pati—the supreme object of recollection—approached through mantra and disciplined prāṇa. The verse indicates that remembrance of Śiva is not merely mental, but established through yogic regulation that loosens pāśa (bondage) upon the paśu (soul).

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Mantra-yukta prāṇāyāma: breath restraint/regulation performed with a forty-fold repetition-cycle connected to the pañcākṣarī (commonly understood as “Namaḥ Śivāya”) as part of Shaiva sādhanā and pūjā-vidhi.