Shloka 21

प्रलय-तत्त्वलयः, नीललोहित-रुद्रः, अष्टमूर्तिस्तवः, एवं ब्रह्मणो वैराग्यम्

Devanagari script

पूरितं पूरकेणैव प्रबुद्धं चाभवत्तदा तदूर्ध्ववक्त्रम् अभवत् कुम्भकेन निरोधितम्

Transliteration

pūritaṃ pūrakeṇaiva prabuddhaṃ cābhavattadā tadūrdhvavaktram abhavat kumbhakena nirodhitam

Translation

Cuando fue colmado por la inhalación (pūraka), entonces despertó; y, al ser contenido por la retención del aliento (kumbhaka), su “rostro” se volvió hacia arriba.

Word by Word

• पूरितम् (pūritam): filled

• पूरकेण (pūrakeṇa): by inhalation (pūraka)

• एव (eva): indeed/alone

• प्रबुद्धम् (prabuddham): awakened/roused

• च (ca): and

• अभवत् (abhavat): became

• तदा (tadā): then

• तत् (tat): that

• ऊर्ध्व-वक्त्रम् (ūrdhva-vaktram): upward-facing/with face turned upward

• अभवत् (abhavat): became

• कुम्भकेन (kumbhakena): by retention (kumbhaka)

• निरोधितम् (nirodhitam): restrained/checked/controlled

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Purva-Bhaga account to the sages of Naimisharanya, describing Yogic procedure within the Linga Purana narrative)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It links outer devotion to inner discipline: worship of the Linga is supported by prāṇāyāma, where controlled breath purifies the pashu (individual soul) and turns awareness upward toward Pati, Shiva.

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

Shiva-tattva is implied as the supreme ‘upward’ goal of consciousness: when prāṇa is restrained (nirodha), the mind becomes awakened and oriented beyond pāśa (bondage) toward the transcendent Lord.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Prāṇāyāma—specifically pūraka (inhalation) leading to awakening, followed by kumbhaka (retention) producing nirodha (restraint) and an upward ascent of prāṇa and attention.