Linga Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 16

शरभप्रादुर्भावो नाम षण्णवतितमोऽध्यायः (जलन्धरविमर्दनम्)

Devanagari script

चन्द्रांशुसन्निभैः शस्त्रैर् हर योद्धुमिहागतः निशम्यास्य वचः शूली पादाङ्गुष्ठेन लीलया महांभसि चकाराशु रथाङ्गं रौद्रमायुधम्

Transliteration

candrāṃśusannibhaiḥ śastrair hara yoddhumihāgataḥ niśamyāsya vacaḥ śūlī pādāṅguṣṭhena līlayā mahāṃbhasi cakārāśu rathāṅgaṃ raudramāyudham

Translation

Hari came to do battle, bearing weapons that shone like the rays of the moon. Hearing his words, the trident-bearing Lord (Śiva), with playful ease, pressed with His great toe and at once fashioned in the vast waters the terrible Rudra-weapon—the rathāṅga, like a discus.

Word by Word

• चन्द्रांशु-सन्निभैः: like moonbeams

• शस्त्रैः: with weapons

• हरिः: Hari (Viṣṇu)

• योद्धुम्: to fight

• इह: here

• आगतः: came

• निशम्य: having heard

• अस्य: his

• वचः: words

• शूली: the trident-bearer (Śiva)

• पाद-अङ्गुष्ठेन: with the great toe of the foot

• लीलया: playfully, effortlessly

• महा-अम्भसि: in the great waters

• चकार: made, fashioned

• आशु: quickly, at once

• रथाङ्गम्: rathāṅga, discus-like wheel/weapon

• रौद्रम्: belonging to Rudra, fierce

• आयुधम्: weapon

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Vishnu
• Rudra

FAQs

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

It portrays Śiva as Pati—the sovereign reality whose power is effortless and immediate; for the devotee, linga-worship aligns the pashu (individual soul) to that supreme lordship, transcending rivalry and fear through Śiva’s grace.

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

Śiva-tattva is shown as utterly independent and unsurpassed: merely by a playful movement of His toe He manifests a fearsome weapon, indicating His mastery over the elements (waters) and over all powers that bind or threaten beings.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The verse emphasizes not a specific rite but the Siddhāntic principle behind Pāśupata discipline: surrender to Pati, recognizing that liberation is effected by Śiva’s śakti (grace) rather than by the pashu’s force alone.