Linga Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 19

मदनदाहः — पार्वतीतपः, स्वयंवरलीला, देवस्तम्भनं, दिव्यचक्षुर्दानम्

Devanagari script

वायुः सोमस्तथेशानो रुद्राश् च मुनयस् तथा अश्विनौ द्वादशादित्या गन्धर्वा गरुडस् तथा

Transliteration

vāyuḥ somastatheśāno rudrāś ca munayas tathā aśvinau dvādaśādityā gandharvā garuḍas tathā

Translation

ວາຍຸ, ໂສມະ ແລະ ອີສານ; ພວກຣຸດຣະ ແລະ ບັນດາມຸນີ; ອັດສະວິນສອງອົງ, ອາທິດຕະຍະ 12, ຄັນທະວະ ແລະ ຄະຣຸດາດ້ວຍ—ທັງໝົດນີ້ເປັນຫມູ່ເທວະທີ່ຖືກສະຖາປະນາໃນລະບຽບຈັກກະວານ ພາຍໃຕ້ອົງພຣະເຈົ້າ (ປະຕິ).

Word by Word

• वायुः (vāyuḥ): Vāyu, the Wind-deity

• सोमः (somaḥ): Soma, the Moon-deity / sacred Soma

• तथा (tathā): and also

• ईशानः (īśānaḥ): Īśāna, the Lordly aspect (of Shiva) / a divine ruler

• रुद्राः (rudrāḥ): the Rudras

• च (ca): and

• मुनयः (munayaḥ): sages, seers

• अश्विनौ (aśvinau): the two Aśvin twins (divine physicians)

• द्वादश-आदित्याः (dvādaśa-ādityāḥ): the twelve Ādityas (solar deities)

• गन्धर्वाः (gandharvāḥ): Gandharvas, celestial musicians

• गरुडः (garuḍaḥ): Garuḍa

• तथा (tathā): likewise / also

Speaker

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

Characters & Entities

• Vayu
• Soma
• Ishana
• Rudras
• Munis
• Ashvins
• Twelve Adityas
• Gandharvas
• Garuda
• Shiva

FAQs

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

By listing major Vedic deities and celestial classes together, the verse frames them as subordinate powers within Shiva’s (Īśāna’s) cosmic governance—supporting Linga worship as devotion to the supreme Pati beyond all deva-functions.

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

Through the name Īśāna, Shiva-tattva is implied as lordship (aiśvarya): the supreme regulating principle under which all cosmic forces—wind, moon, solar deities, Rudras, and sages—operate.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The verse supports a Shaiva approach to ritual where devas are invoked as auxiliary powers while the offering is ultimately dedicated to the Linga (Pati); yogically, it encourages the pashu to transcend pasha by recognizing all powers as expressions under Shiva’s sovereignty.