Linga Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 12

अन्धक-हिरण्याक्ष-प्रसङ्गः, वराहावतारः, दंष्ट्राभूषणं च

Devanagari script

नारायणाय सर्वाय ब्रह्मणे परमात्मने कर्त्रे धर्त्रे धरायास्तु हर्त्रे देवारिणां स्वयम् कर्त्रे नेत्रे सुरेन्द्राणां शास्त्रे च सकलस्य च

Transliteration

nārāyaṇāya sarvāya brahmaṇe paramātmane kartre dhartre dharāyāstu hartre devāriṇāṃ svayam kartre netre surendrāṇāṃ śāstre ca sakalasya ca

Translation

सर्वव्यापी नारायण को नमस्कार—जो ब्रह्म है, परमात्मा है; सृष्टिकर्ता, धर्ता, पृथ्वी का आधार; देव-शत्रुओं का स्वयं संहारक; देवाधिपतियों का नेत्र-स्वरूप मार्गदर्शक; और समस्त जगत् का शास्त्र-स्वरूप नियामक है।

Word by Word

• नारायणाय: to Nārāyaṇa

• सर्वाय: to the all(-pervading)/to the universal one

• ब्रह्मणे: to Brahman/the Absolute

• परमात्मने: to the Supreme Self

• कर्त्रे: to the creator/agent

• धर्त्रे: to the sustainer/bearer

• धरायाः: of the Earth

• तु: indeed

• हर्त्रे: to the remover/destroyer

• देवारिणाम्: of the enemies of the gods

• स्वयम्: Himself

• कर्त्रे: to the maker/ordainer

• नेत्रे: to the eye/guide/overseer

• सुरेन्द्राणाम्: of the lords of the gods (Indra and the devic rulers)

• शास्त्रे: to Śāstra/the governing teaching

• च: and

• सकलस्य: of all/entirety

• च: and

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating a hymn/stuti within the Linga Purana’s Purva-Bhaga discourse)

Characters & Entities

• Narayana
• Brahman
• Paramatman
• Devas
• Surendras
• Dhara (Earth)

FAQs

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

It establishes the worship-principle that the Supreme Pati is the inner ruler of creation, preservation, and dissolution—so Linga-puja is not merely icon worship but devotion to the all-pervading Lord who supports the world and grants anugraha through śāstra.

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

By attributing creatorhood, sustenance, destruction of adharmic forces, and being the very Śāstra, the verse points to Shiva-tattva as Paramātman/Pati: transcendent Brahman yet immanent as the guiding ‘eye’ that governs devas and the cosmos, freeing paśus from pāśa through right knowledge and order.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The verse primarily supports stuti (praise) as a limb of worship; yogically, it implies Pāśupata orientation—meditating on the Lord as the inner netra (overseer) and as śāstra (right doctrine) that leads the bound soul (paśu) toward liberation.