Linga Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 66

मुनिमोहशमनम्

Pāśupata-yoga, Siddhis, Puruṣa-darśana, Saṃsāra, and Prāṇa-Rudra Pañcāhutī

Devanagari script

अनादिमान्प्रबन्धः स्यात् पूर्वकर्मणि देहिनः संसारं तामसं घोरं षड्विधं प्रतिपद्यते

Transliteration

anādimānprabandhaḥ syāt pūrvakarmaṇi dehinaḥ saṃsāraṃ tāmasaṃ ghoraṃ ṣaḍvidhaṃ pratipadyate

Translation

ສຳລັບປາຊຸຜູ້ມີກາຍ ເນື່ອງຈາກກຳເກົ່າ ຈຶ່ງເກີດຄວາມຕໍ່ເນື່ອງຂອງພັນທະອັນບໍ່ມີຕົ້ນກຳເນີດ; ແລະເຂົ້າສູ່ວົງຈອນສັງສານອັນນ່າຢ້ານ ມີຄວາມມືດທຶບ (tamas) ແລະປາກົດເປັນຫົກປະເພດ।

Word by Word

• अनादिमान्: beginningless

• प्रबन्धः: continuous chain, ongoing linkage (of bondage)

• स्यात्: arises, comes to be

• पूर्वकर्मणि: from former actions/previous karma

• देहिनः: of the embodied one (jīva/paśu)

• संसारम्: transmigratory existence

• तामसम्: dominated by tamas (darkness/inertia/ignorance)

• घोरम्: terrible, dreadful

• षड्विधम्: sixfold, of six kinds

• प्रतिपद्यते: attains, enters into, undergoes

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the doctrinal teaching within the Linga Purana discourse)

FAQs

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

It frames why Linga-upasana is necessary: the paśu is caught in a beginningless karmic chain (pāśa), and only turning toward Pati (Shiva) through Linga-centered devotion, purification, and discipline can break that continuity.

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

By implication, Shiva is Pati beyond tamas and samsara—distinct from the paśu bound by pūrva-karma—whose grace and knowledge are the antidote to the dreadful sixfold samsaric condition.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The verse points to the need for pāśa-kṣaya (destruction of bondage) through Shaiva sadhana—typically Linga-puja with inner purification and Pashupata-oriented discipline to overcome tamasic tendencies and karmic momentum.