Linga Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 62

ध्यानयज्ञः, संसार-विष-निरूपणम्, पाशुपतयोगः, परा-अपरा विद्या, चतुर्वस्था-विचारः (अध्यायः ८६)

Devanagari script

४ स्ततेस् ओफ़् मिन्द् अधोदृष्ट्या वितस्त्यां तु नाभ्यामुपरितिष्ठति हृदयं तद्विजानीयाद् विश्वस्यायतनं महत्

Transliteration

4 states of mind adhodṛṣṭyā vitastyāṃ tu nābhyāmuparitiṣṭhati hṛdayaṃ tadvijānīyād viśvasyāyatanaṃ mahat

Translation

દૃષ્ટિને નીચે સ્થિર રાખીને, નાભિથી એક વિતસ્તિ ઉપર સ્થિત હૃદયને જાણવું જોઈએ. એ હૃદય જ વિશ્વનું મહાન આધાર-ધામ છે; વિક્ષેપનો પાશ શાંત થતાં પશુમાં પતિ—શિવ—સાક્ષાત્કાર થાય છે।

Word by Word

• adhodṛṣṭyā: with the gaze lowered/downward

• vitastyām: at the measure of a span (of the hand)

• tu: indeed

• nābhyām: from/above the navel

• uparitiṣṭhati: stands/abides above

• hṛdayam: the heart (inner locus of awareness)

• tat: that

• vijānīyāt: one should know/understand

• viśvasya: of the universe/all existence

• āyatanam: abode/seat/support

• mahat: great, vast

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Linga Purana’s teaching to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It shifts linga-upāsanā from only an outer icon to antaryāga: the “heart” is taught as the great āyatana where the devotee contemplates Mahādeva as the indwelling Pati.

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

Śiva-tattva is implied as the cosmic support present within: the heart-locus is called the universe’s great abode, indicating Pati as immanent while remaining transcendent.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

A meditative discipline: lowering the gaze and fixing awareness in the hṛdaya a span above the navel—used in Pāśupata-oriented inner worship to quiet pasha and steady the pashu in Śiva.