Linga Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 15

क्षुपदधीचिसंवादः — शिलादतपः, वरसीमा, मेघवाहनकल्पे त्रिदेवसमागमः

Devanagari script

दाक्षायणी सा दक्षो ऽपि देवः पद्मोद्भवात्मजः पौत्रीकनकगर्भस्य कथं तस्याः सुतो विभुः

Transliteration

dākṣāyaṇī sā dakṣo 'pi devaḥ padmodbhavātmajaḥ pautrīkanakagarbhasya kathaṃ tasyāḥ suto vibhuḥ

Translation

તે દાક્ષાયણી છે; અને દક્ષ પણ પદ્મોદ્ભવ (બ્રહ્મા)નો પુત્ર—એક દિવ્ય સત્તા છે. જો દક્ષ હિરણ્યગર્ભનો પૌત્ર હોય, તો સર્વવ્યાપી પ્રભુ (શિવ)ને તેનો પુત્ર કેવી રીતે કહેવાય?

Word by Word

• दाक्षायणी (dākṣāyaṇī): Dākṣāyaṇī (daughter of Dakṣa)

• सा (sā): she

• दक्षः (dakṣaḥ): Dakṣa

• अपि (api): also/indeed

• देवः (devaḥ): a divine being

• पद्मोद्भव-आत्मजः (padmodbhava-ātmajaḥ): son of Padmodbhava (Brahmā)

• पौत्री (pautrī): granddaughter/descendant

• कनकगर्भस्य (kanakagarbhasya): of Hiraṇyagarbha (the Golden Womb)

• कथम् (katham): how?

• तस्याः (tasyāḥ): of her

• सुतः (sutaḥ): son

• विभुः (vibhuḥ): the all-pervading Lord (Śiva/Pati).

Speaker

Suta (narrating a lineage/theological query within the Purana’s discourse)

Characters & Entities

• Dākṣāyaṇī (Satī)
• Dakṣa
• Brahmā (Padmodbhava)
• Hiraṇyagarbha
• Śiva (Vibhu)

FAQs

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

It asserts Śiva as Vibhu—transcending created genealogies—supporting Linga worship as devotion to the unborn Pati who is not limited by worldly birth-relations.

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

By calling Him Vibhu, it points to Śiva as all-pervading and ontologically prior to sṛṣṭi; any ‘sonship’ is a narrative līlā, while Shiva-tattva remains aja (unborn) and independent.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

No specific rite is prescribed in this line; the takeaway is doctrinal—Pashupata-oriented discernment that Pati (Śiva) is beyond prākṛta lineage, which grounds pure bhakti and Linga-upāsanā.