Shloka 1

Devanagari script

इति श्रीलैङ्गे महापुराणे प्रथमो ऽध्यायः सूत उवाच ईशानकल्पवृत्तान्तम् अधिकृत्य महात्मना ब्रह्मणा कल्पितं पूर्वं पुराणं लैङ्गम् उत्तमम्

Transliteration

iti śrīlaiṅge mahāpurāṇe prathamo 'dhyāyaḥ sūta uvāca īśānakalpavṛttāntam adhikṛtya mahātmanā brahmaṇā kalpitaṃ pūrvaṃ purāṇaṃ laiṅgam uttamam

Translation

Demikianlah berakhir bab pertama dalam Śrī Liṅga Mahāpurāṇa. Sūta berkata: Dahulu kala, Brahmā yang berhati agung menyusun Purāṇa Liṅga yang utama dengan menjadikan kisah Īśāna-kalpa sebagai pokok bahasan.

Word by Word

• iti: thus

• śrī-laiṅge mahāpurāṇe: in the auspicious Linga Mahāpurāṇa

• prathamaḥ adhyāyaḥ: the first chapter

• sūta uvāca: Sūta said

• īśāna-kalpa-vṛttāntam: the narrative/account of the Īśāna-kalpa

• adhikṛtya: taking as the subject/focusing upon

• mahātmanā brahmaṇā: by the great-souled Brahmā

• kalpitam: composed/arranged

• pūrvam: formerly/earlier

• purāṇam laiṅgam: the Linga Purāṇa

• uttamam: supreme/excellent

Speaker

Suta

Characters & Entities

• Suta
• Brahma
• Ishana (Shiva)

FAQs

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

It frames the Linga Purana as a Brahmā-composed śāstra centered on the Īśāna-kalpa, establishing the Liṅga as the authoritative emblem through which Śiva (Pati) is approached for grace and liberation.

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

By naming Īśāna as the governing theme, it points to Śiva as the supreme Lord and ruler—Pati—whose revelation becomes the basis of the Purāṇa’s teaching on bondage (pāśa) and the soul (paśu).

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

No single rite is specified in this verse, but it signals the text’s orientation toward Liṅga-upāsanā and the Pāśupata path—devotion and discipline directed to Īśāna for removing pāśa and granting mokṣa.