Linga Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 6

ग्रहाद्यधिपत्याभिषेकः

Cosmic Consecrations of Lords of Planets and Domains

Devanagari script

वीराणां वीरभद्रं च पिशाचानां भयंकरम् मातॄणां चैव चामुण्डां सर्वदेवनमस्कृताम्

Transliteration

vīrāṇāṃ vīrabhadraṃ ca piśācānāṃ bhayaṃkaram mātṝṇāṃ caiva cāmuṇḍāṃ sarvadevanamaskṛtām

Translation

ໃນຫມູ່ວີຣະທັງຫລາຍ (ຂ້າພະເຈົ້ານອບນ້ອມເຊີນ) ວີຣະພັດຣະ; ສໍາລັບປິສາຈະ ແມ່ນຜູ້ນ່າຢ້ານກົວ ຜູ້ກໍ່ໃຫ້ເກີດຄວາມຫວາດຫວັນ; ແລະໃນຫມູ່ມາຕຣະ (ຂ້າພະເຈົ້ານອບນ້ອມເຊີນ) ຈາມຸນດາ—ຜູ້ທີ່ເທວະທັງປວງນອບນ້ອມນະມັດສະການ।

Word by Word

• vīrāṇām: of the heroes (Vīras/heroic attendants)

• vīrabhadram: Vīrabhadra

• ca: and

• piśācānām: of the piśācas (ghoulish spirits)

• bhayaṅkaram: fearsome/terrifying

• mātṝṇām: of the Mothers (Mātṛkās)

• ca eva: and indeed/also

• cāmuṇḍām: Cāmuṇḍā

• sarva-deva-namaskṛtām: worshipped/saluted by all the gods

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Virabhadra
• Chamunda
• Matrs (Matrikas)
• Pishachas
• Devas (all gods)

FAQs

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

It functions as a protective invocation: by remembering Shiva’s fierce gaṇas (Vīrabhadra) and Shakti-forms (Cāmuṇḍā, the Mātṛs), the worshipper safeguards the liṅga-pūjā space from obstructive forces and aligns it with Pati (Shiva) and His śakti.

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

Shiva-tattva is shown as sovereign over all classes of beings—heroic attendants, spirits, and divine Mothers—revealing Pati as the supreme Lord whose power (Śakti) is honored even by the devas.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

A nyāsa-like remembrance and protective japa/invocation of Shiva’s attendants and fierce Shakti aspects—used as a preliminary rite (āvaraṇa-smarana) before liṅga-pūjā or Pāśupata-oriented discipline.