Shloka 132

Vyāsotpatti-kathana

Account of the Birth/Origin of Vyāsa

Devanagari script

विवर्तनाद्ब्रह्मणस्तु ब्रह्मवैवर्तमुच्यते । लिंगस्य चरितोक्तत्वात्पुराणं लिंगमुच्यते

Transliteration

vivartanādbrahmaṇastu brahmavaivartamucyate | liṃgasya caritoktatvātpurāṇaṃ liṃgamucyate

Translation

Parce qu’il enseigne les transformations (vaivarta) relatives à Brahmā, le principe cosmique de la création, on l’appelle Brahma‑vaivarta. Et puisqu’il relate le récit sacré et la gloire du Liṅga du Seigneur Śiva, ce Purāṇa est appelé Liṅga (Purāṇa).

Word by Word

• विवर्तनात्: from (the) transformation
• विवर्तनात्: Hetu (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विवर्तन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th case), एकवचन; अपादान/हेतु

• ब्रह्मणः: of Brahman / of Brahmā
• ब्रह्मणः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case), एकवचन

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विशेषार्थक (indeed/but)

• ब्रह्म-वैवर्तम्: (the Purāṇa called) Brahmavaivarta
• ब्रह्म-वैवर्तम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्म-वैवर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (ब्रह्मणः वैवर्तम्)

• उच्यते: is called
• उच्यते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• लिङ्गस्य: of the Liṅga
• लिङ्गस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case), एकवचन

• चरित-उक्तत्वात्: because it narrates the deeds
• चरित-उक्तत्वात्: Hetu (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चरित-उक्तत्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th case), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (चरितस्य उक्तत्वम् = ‘being the narration of deeds’)

• पुराणम्: the Purāṇa
• पुराणम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुराण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• लिङ्गम्: Liṅga (Purāṇa)
• लिङ्गम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), एकवचन; नाम (Purāṇa-name)

• उच्यते: is called
• उच्यते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages, consistent with Purāṇic frame and Uma-saṃhitā discourse style)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Liṅgodbhava

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Mentions the Liṅga Purāṇa by name and rationale (‘liṅgasya carita’). While not naming a specific Jyotirliṅga, it evokes the pan-Indian Liṅga as Śiva’s aniconic/axis form celebrated across kṣetras.

Significance: Affirms liṅga-māhātmya as a salvific focus; in Siddhānta, liṅga-arcana supports purification (mala-kṣaya) and prepares the paśu for Śiva’s anugraha.

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Linga
• Brahma

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in the Shiva Purana?

It explains that Purāṇas are named according to their central teaching: when the Liṅga’s glory and sacred history are taught, the text is identified as ‘Liṅga Purāṇa,’ affirming the Liṅga as a primary doorway to Śiva-realization in Shaiva tradition.

How does this verse relate to the worship of the Linga or Saguna Shiva?

By stating that a Purāṇa is called ‘Liṅga’ because it expounds the Liṅga’s carita (māhātmya and narratives), it supports Saguna upāsanā through the Liṅga as a sanctified form that leads the devotee toward Śiva, the supreme Pati.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is śravaṇa (devotional listening/recitation) of Liṅga-related Purāṇic teachings alongside Liṅga-pūjā—ideally with Panchākṣarī japa (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and traditional offerings such as water/abhisheka.