Linga Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 137

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

Devanagari script

हंसाख्यं च ततो ब्रह्म व्योम्नश्चोर्ध्वं ततः परम् व्योमाख्यो व्योममध्यस्थो ह्य् अयं प्राथमिकः स्मरेत्

Transliteration

haṃsākhyaṃ ca tato brahma vyomnaścordhvaṃ tataḥ param vyomākhyo vyomamadhyastho hy ayaṃ prāthamikaḥ smaret

Translation

虚空の広がり（ヴ्योーマン）の上には、ハンサと名づけられるブラフマンがある。さらにその上、いよいよ高きところには、天のただ中に住するヴ्योーマと呼ばれるブラフマンがある。これこそ第一の根本観想として、常に憶念すべきである。

Word by Word

• हंसाख्यम् (haṃsākhyam): called ‘Haṃsa’

• च (ca): and

• ततः (tataḥ): then/thereafter

• ब्रह्म (brahma): Brahman, the supreme principle

• व्योम्नः (vyomnaḥ): above the sky/space

• च (ca): and

• ऊर्ध्वम् (ūrdhvam): upward, higher

• ततः परम् (tataḥ param): beyond that, higher than that

• व्योमाख्यः (vyomākhyaḥ): named ‘Vyoma’

• व्योममध्यस्थः (vyomamadhyasthaḥ): situated in the middle of space

• हि (hi): indeed

• अयम् (ayam): this

• प्राथमिकः (prāthamikaḥ): primary, first

• स्मरेत् (smaret): should remember/meditate upon.

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Linga Purana teachings to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Brahman (as Haṃsa and Vyoma)

FAQs

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

It frames Linga-upāsanā as inner contemplation: the devotee first stabilizes awareness in ‘Vyoma’ (vast space-like consciousness), preparing the mind to recognize the Linga as the formless Pati beyond worldly forms.

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

By pointing to Haṃsa and Vyoma as names of Brahman, it indicates Shiva-tattva as the all-pervading, space-like reality—immanent (in the midst of space) yet transcendent (higher than the sky), the Lord (Pati) who is not limited by pasha.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

A dhyāna-krama (meditative sequence): remembering the ‘primary’ contemplation of Vyoma/Haṃsa—an inner-space visualization used to steady the pashu (individual soul) for Pashupata-style realization.