Linga Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 146

देवैर्विष्णोः शरणागमनम्—शिवलिङ्गस्थापनं, शिवसहस्रनामस्तवः, सुदर्शनचक्रप्रदानं च

Devanagari script

श्रुतिप्रकाशः श्रुतिमान् एकबन्धुर् अनेकधृक् श्रीवल्लभशिवारम्भः शान्तभद्रः समञ्जसः

Transliteration

śrutiprakāśaḥ śrutimān ekabandhur anekadhṛk śrīvallabhaśivārambhaḥ śāntabhadraḥ samañjasaḥ

Translation

वह श्रुति का प्रकाश और श्रुति-ज्ञाता है; सबका एक बन्धु, अनेक रूपों का धारक। श्री का प्रिय, शिव में मंगल का आरम्भकर्ता; शान्त, भद्र और समञ्जस (संतुलित) है।

Word by Word

• श्रुतिप्रकाशः: light/revelation of the Śruti (Vedas)

• श्रुतिमान्: possessor/knower of the Śruti

• एकबन्धुः: the single true relative/refuge (of all beings)

• अनेकधृक्: bearer of many (forms/powers/worlds)

• श्रीवल्लभः: beloved of Śrī (prosperity/fortune)

• शिवारम्भः: source/initiator of auspiciousness (śiva) / he from whom auspiciousness begins

• शान्तभद्रः: peaceful and beneficent

• समञ्जसः: fitting, harmonious, well-ordered, rightly measured

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Shiva Sahasranama to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Shruti (Vedas)
• Shri (Lakshmi/Prosperity)

FAQs

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

By naming Śiva as Śrutiprakāśa and Śrutimān, the verse establishes Linga-pūjā as Veda-aligned worship: the Linga signifies the very source and light of Śruti, making devotion a means to move from pāśa (bondage) toward śānti (peace).

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

Śiva is portrayed as Pati: the one true kin (ekabandhu) of all paśus (souls), simultaneously transcendent yet sustaining many forms (anekadhṛk), and essentially auspicious, peaceful, and perfectly ordered (śāntabhadra, samañjasaḥ).

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The verse supports nāma-japa and sahasranāma recitation in Linga-pūjā, emphasizing contemplative alignment with Śruti (Vedic truth) to cultivate śānti—an inner mark of Pāśupata discipline.