Linga Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 5

अघोरस्य प्रादुर्भावः कुमारकचतुष्टयं च योगमार्गः

Devanagari script

कृष्णांबरधरोष्णीषं कृष्णयज्ञोपवीतिनम् कृष्णेन मौलिना युक्तं कृष्णस्रगनुलेपनम्

Transliteration

kṛṣṇāṃbaradharoṣṇīṣaṃ kṛṣṇayajñopavītinam kṛṣṇena maulinā yuktaṃ kṛṣṇasraganulepanam

Translation

ព្រះអង្គពាក់អាវខ្មៅ និងពាក់ឧស្នីសខ្មៅ មានយជ្ញោបវីតខ្មៅ; ក្បាលតុបតែងដោយមូលីខ្មៅ ហើយតុបតែងដោយកម្រងផ្កាខ្មៅ និងលាបអនុឡេបន៍ខ្មៅ—បង្ហាញព្រះបតិ ដែលទម្រង់របស់ព្រះអង្គស្រូបយក និងលើសលប់ពណ៌និងគុណទាំងអស់ ខណៈនៅតែជាអធិបតីខាងក្នុងនៃសត្វទាំងឡាយ (បាសុ)។

Word by Word

• कृष्ण-आम्बर-धर: wearing dark/black garments

• उष्णीष: turban/head-wrap

• कृष्ण-यज्ञोपवीतिन्: one who wears a dark sacred thread

• कृष्णेन: with dark/black (adornment)

• मौलि: head-crest/topknot/crown

• युक्त: endowed/adorned with

• कृष्ण-स्रक्: dark garland

• अनुलेपन: unguent/smearing/fragrant paste

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It supplies a dhyāna-lakṣaṇa (meditative iconography) for Shiva: the devotee visualizes the Lord’s marked attributes before linga-pūjā, steadying the mind on Pati so the paśu turns inward from bondage (pāśa) toward grace.

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

Though presented with visible qualities (dark garments, garlands, unguents), the intent is tattvic: Shiva is the all-containing ground of experience, the transcendent Pati who can assume forms for devotees while remaining beyond limiting guṇas.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Dhyāna (visual contemplation) as a preparatory limb of pūjā and mantra-japa—aligning the practitioner with Pāśupata orientation: fixing awareness on Pati to loosen pāśa and purify the paśu.