Linga Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 26

देवैर्विष्णोः शरणागमनम्—शिवलिङ्गस्थापनं, शिवसहस्रनामस्तवः, सुदर्शनचक्रप्रदानं च

Devanagari script

अग्नौ च नामभिर् देवं भवाद्यैः समिदादिभिः स्वाहान्तैर्विधिवद्धुत्वा प्रत्येकमयुतं प्रभुम्

Transliteration

agnau ca nāmabhir devaṃ bhavādyaiḥ samidādibhiḥ svāhāntairvidhivaddhutvā pratyekamayutaṃ prabhum

Translation

Then, into the sacred fire, one should duly offer oblations, invoking the Lord with names beginning with “Bhava”; using fuel-sticks and the proper materials, and ending each offering with “svāhā,” one should make ten thousand oblations for each name unto that sovereign Lord (Pati).

Word by Word

• अग्नौ: in the fire

• च: and

• नामभिः: by (reciting) names

• देवं: the Deity

• भव-आद्यैः: beginning with (the name) Bhava (i.e., Shiva’s names)

• समिद-आदिभिः: with fuel-sticks and other (homa) requisites

• स्वाहा-अन्तैः: ending with “svāhā”

• विधिवत्: according to prescribed rule

• हुत्वा: having offered/after offering

• प्रत्येकम्: for each (name)

• अयुतम्: ten thousand

• प्रभुम्: the Lord, sovereign (Pati).

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva-puja and homa-vidhi to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Agni

FAQs

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

It prescribes a name-based fire-offering (Shiva-nāma-homa) as a disciplined limb of Shiva-puja, where each divine name (beginning with Bhava) is empowered through repeated svāhā oblations to invoke Pati’s grace.

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

Shiva is addressed as Prabhu (the Lord, Pati), indicating supreme lordship over the pashu (individual soul) and the capacity to dissolve pasha (bondage) through ritually ordered devotion and mantra.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

A Vedic-style homa integrated with Shaiva mantra-practice: offering samid and related materials into Agni while chanting Shiva’s names with svāhā, counted as ten thousand oblations per name—an austere, vow-like discipline aligned with Pashupata-oriented purification.