Linga Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 19

Devanagari script

भूर्भूवःस्वर्महश् चैव जनः साक्षात्तपः स्वयम् सत्यलोकस् तथाण्डानां कोटिकोटिशतानि च

Transliteration

bhūrbhūvaḥsvarmahaś caiva janaḥ sākṣāttapaḥ svayam satyalokas tathāṇḍānāṃ koṭikoṭiśatāni ca

Translation

Bhūr, Bhuvaḥ, Svar, Mahaḥ, Jana, and indeed Tapaḥ itself, as well as Satyaloka—thus are the worlds; and there exist hundreds of crores upon crores of cosmic eggs (brahmāṇḍas).

Word by Word

• bhūḥ: the earthly realm

• bhuvaḥ: the atmospheric/intermediate realm

• svaḥ: the heavenly realm

• mahaḥ: Maharloka (realm of great sages)

• janaḥ: Janaloka (realm of mind-born beings/sages)

• sākṣāt: directly, in its own right

• tapaḥ: Tapoloka (realm of austerity)

• svayam: itself

• satyalokaḥ: Satyaloka/Brahmaloka (realm of truth, Brahmā’s abode)

• tathā: and also/likewise

• aṇḍānām: of cosmic eggs, universes

• koṭi-koṭi-śatāni: hundreds of crores upon crores

• ca: and

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the cosmological teaching within the Linga Purana discourse)

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Shiva

FAQs

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

By describing innumerable brahmāṇḍas and graded lokas, the verse frames the Liṅga as the cosmic sign (liṅga) of Pati—Shiva—whose presence pervades and transcends every realm, making Liṅga-pūjā a universal, not merely local, worship.

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

It implies Shiva-tattva as the supreme ground beyond all lokas: the worlds and even countless universes arise within the cosmic order, while Pati remains the sovereign reality by whose power creation is measured yet never exhausts Him.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The verse primarily highlights cosmological contemplation (loka-dhyāna) used in Shaiva practice to cultivate dispassion (vairāgya) and orient the paśu (soul) toward Pati; it supports meditative worship of the Liṅga as the axis of all worlds rather than prescribing a specific rite.