Linga Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 194

देवैर्विष्णोः शरणागमनम्—शिवलिङ्गस्थापनं, शिवसहस्रनामस्तवः, सुदर्शनचक्रप्रदानं च

Devanagari script

जग्मतुः प्रणिपत्यैनं देवदेवं जगद्गुरुम् तस्मान्नाम्नां सहस्रेण पूजयेद् अनघो द्विजाः

Transliteration

jagmatuḥ praṇipatyainaṃ devadevaṃ jagadgurum tasmānnāmnāṃ sahasreṇa pūjayed anagho dvijāḥ

Translation

Having approached and bowed down to Him—the God of gods, the Guru of the worlds—therefore, O sinless twice-born ones, one should worship Śiva with a thousand of His Names, the Sahasranāma.

Word by Word

• जग्मतुः: they went/approached

• प्रणिपत्य: having prostrated/bowed down

• एनम्: to Him/this (Lord)

• देवदेवम्: the God of gods

• जगद्गुरुम्: the Guru/teacher of the universe

• तस्मात्: therefore/from that reason

• नाम्नाम्: of names

• सहस्रेण: with a thousand

• पूजयेत्: one should worship/honour

• अनघः: sinless/pure

• द्विजाः: O twice-born (Brāhmaṇas/initiated).

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimisharanya, within the Linga-Puja/Sahasranama instruction context)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It links Linga-centered devotion with nāma-upāsanā: after humble prostration to Pati (Śiva), the devotee is instructed to worship through the Shiva Sahasranāma, making name-recitation a primary limb of Linga-Pūjā.

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

Śiva is presented as Devadeva and Jagadguru—supreme among the devas and the universal spiritual preceptor—indicating Pati-tattva: the transcendent Lord who guides the bound soul (paśu) toward liberation.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Praṇipāta (prostration) and Sahasranāma-japa as a worship practice; as a Shaiva discipline it functions like bhakti-yoga and mantra-upāsanā that purifies the paśu and weakens pāśa (bondage).