Linga Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 93

Adhyaya 70: आदिसर्गः—महत्-अहङ्कार-तन्मात्रा-भूतसृष्टिः, ब्रह्माण्डावरणम्, प्रजासर्गः, त्रिमूर्ति-शैवाधिष्ठानम्

Devanagari script

एकधा स द्विधा चैव त्रिधा च बहुधा पुनः महेश्वरः शरीराणि करोति विकरोति च

Transliteration

ekadhā sa dvidhā caiva tridhā ca bahudhā punaḥ maheśvaraḥ śarīrāṇi karoti vikaroti ca

Translation

ព្រះអង្គជាមួយតែមួយ ប៉ុន្តែបង្ហាញជាពីរ ជាបី ហើយម្តងទៀតជាច្រើន។ មហេស្វរៈ បង្កើតរាងកាយទាំងឡាយ ហើយក៏បម្លែងវាផង—ដោយអធិបតីភាពជាបតិ; ខណៈព្រលឹងដែលជាប់ពន្ធ (paśu) ទទួលបទពិសោធន៍រូបទាំងនោះក្រោមអំណាចនៃ pāśa។

Word by Word

• ekadhā: as one (in a single mode)

• saḥ: he (that Lord)

• dvidhā: as twofold

• ca eva: and indeed

• tridhā: as threefold

• ca: and

• bahudhā: as many kinds

• punaḥ: again, repeatedly

• maheśvaraḥ: Maheshvara, the Great Lord (Pati)

• śarīrāṇi: bodies, embodied forms

• karoti: makes, brings forth

• vikaroti: alters, diversifies, transforms

• ca: and

Speaker

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

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Maheshvara

FAQs

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

It grounds Linga-worship in Shiva’s supreme agency: the Linga signifies Maheshvara beyond form, who nevertheless generates and reshapes all embodied forms—hence worship of the formless Linga reaches the source of all manifestation.

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

It presents Shiva-tattva as non-dual in essence (one), yet freely expressing dual, triple, and countless modes—showing his sovereignty to manifest plurality without losing transcendental unity.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The implied practice is Pashupata orientation: meditating on Maheshvara as Pati who governs the arising and transformation of the body, loosening identification with embodiment (pāśa) through Shiva-centered contemplation and worship.