Linga Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 104

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

Devanagari script

अनादित्वाच्च पूर्वत्वात् स्वयंभूरिति संस्मृतः याज्यत्वादुच्यते यज्ञः कविर् विक्रान्तदर्शनात्

Transliteration

anāditvācca pūrvatvāt svayaṃbhūriti saṃsmṛtaḥ yājyatvāducyate yajñaḥ kavir vikrāntadarśanāt

Translation

ಆದಿಯಿಲ್ಲದೆ ಎಲ್ಲಕ್ಕಿಂತ ಪೂರ್ವನಾಗಿರುವುದರಿಂದ ಅವನು ‘ಸ್ವಯಂಭೂ’ ಎಂದು ಸಂಸ್ಮೃತನು. ಏಕೈಕ ಆರಾಧ್ಯನಾಗಿರುವುದರಿಂದ ಅವನು ‘ಯಜ್ಞ’ ಎಂದು ಉಚ್ಯನು; ತನ್ನ ದೃಷ್ಟಿ ಸರ್ವತ್ರ ವ್ಯಾಪಿಸಿ ಎಲ್ಲವನ್ನೂ ಮೀರಿರುವುದರಿಂದ ಅವನು ‘ಕವಿ’—ಸರ್ವದರ್ಶಿ ಋಷಿ—ಎಂದು ಸ್ಮೃತನು.

Word by Word

• अनादित्वात्: because of beginninglessness

• च: and

• पूर्वत्वात्: because of being the First/prior to all

• स्वयंभूः: the Self-born, self-existent Lord (Pati)

• इति: thus

• संस्मृतः: is remembered/celebrated

• याज्यत्वात्: because of being worthy to be worshipped (fit recipient of offering)

• उच्यते: is called

• यज्ञः: Yajña (sacrifice

• कविः: Kavi (seer, sage, poet—omniscient knower)

• विक्रान्त-दर्शनात्: because His seeing/vision is all-pervading, transcendent, and surpassing

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva’s names/attributes to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It grounds Linga-puja in Vedic theology: the Linga signifies the beginningless, self-existent Pati (Svayambhū) who is the true recipient and inner fire of worship (Yajña), making ritual an offering to Shiva rather than merely a worldly rite.

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

Shiva is presented as anādi (beginningless) and pūrva (prior to all causes), self-manifest (Svayambhū), and omniscient (Kavi). In Shaiva Siddhanta terms, He is Pati—independent, self-luminous consciousness—while pashus (souls) depend on Him for liberation from pāśa (bondage).

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The verse highlights the Vedic sacrificial principle internalized in Shaiva practice: worship and oblations (yajña) are directed to Shiva as the supreme yājya. In Pashupata-oriented sadhana, this supports offering all actions as inner yajña to the all-seeing Kavi through mantra and Linga-archana.