Linga Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 11

Indra’s Account: Shilada’s Tapas and Shiva’s Manifestation as Nandi

Devanagari script

श्रीदेवदेव उवाच पूर्वमाराधितो विप्र ब्रह्मणाहं तपोधन तपसा चावतारार्थं मुनिभिश् च सुरोत्तमैः

Transliteration

śrīdevadeva uvāca pūrvamārādhito vipra brahmaṇāhaṃ tapodhana tapasā cāvatārārthaṃ munibhiś ca surottamaiḥ

Translation

श्री देवदेव बोले—हे विप्र, हे तपोधन! पूर्वकाल में ब्रह्मा ने तपस्या द्वारा मेरी आराधना की थी; और मेरे अवतार के प्रयोजन से मुनियों तथा देवश्रेष्ठों ने भी तप से मुझे प्रसन्न किया।

Word by Word

• śrī-devadevaḥ: the glorious Lord of gods (Śiva)

• uvāca: said

• pūrvam: formerly, earlier

• ārādhitaḥ: worshipped/propitiated

• vipra: O brāhmaṇa

• brahmaṇā: by Brahmā

• aham: I

• tapodhana: O wealth of tapas (address to an ascetic/brāhmaṇa)

• tapasā: by austerity

• ca: and

• avatāra-artham: for the purpose of incarnation/descent

• munibhiḥ: by sages

• ca: and

• sura-uttamaiḥ: by the best among the devas

Speaker

Shiva (Devadeva)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Brahma
• Sages (Munis)
• Devas (Surottamas)

FAQs

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

It frames Śiva as the Pati who is approached through ārādhana and tapas; Linga-worship is thus grounded in disciplined propitiation that invites His manifest presence (prādurbhāva/avatāra) for the world’s welfare.

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

Śiva-tattva is shown as sovereign and responsive: though transcendent, Devadeva is pleased by tapas performed by Brahmā, sages, and devas, and He manifests (descends) by grace when invoked for a cosmic purpose.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Tapas as a Pāśupata-oriented discipline—focused austerity and propitiation (ārādhana) directed to Pati (Śiva) to loosen pāśa (bondage) and catalyze divine intervention/manifestation.