Shloka 58
Adhyāya 25 — Liṅga-māhātmya (The Chapter on the Liṅga): Hari’s Śiva-Worship and the Fiery Pillar Theophany
न च लिङ्गार्चनात् पुण्यं लोकेस्मिन् भीतिनाशनम् / तथा लिङ्गे हितायैषां लोकानां पूजयेच्छिवम्
na ca liṅgārcanāt puṇyaṃ lokesmin bhītināśanam / tathā liṅge hitāyaiṣāṃ lokānāṃ pūjayecchivam
Di dunia ini, tiada pahala daripada pemujaan Śiva-liṅga yang tidak menghapuskan ketakutan. Maka, demi kesejahteraan segala alam, hendaklah Śiva dipuja pada liṅga.
Lord Kūrma (Viṣṇu) instructing sages (Shaiva-Vaishnava synthesis context)
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka
Secondary Rasa: shanta
FAQs
By presenting Śiva-worship in the liṅga as universally fear-destroying, the verse implies a movement from bhaya (existential insecurity rooted in separation) toward the fearless ground of reality—aligned with the Purāṇic teaching that the Supreme is approached through īśvara-bhakti and inner steadiness.
The verse foregrounds devotional discipline (upāsanā) through liṅgārcana—regular worship that purifies the mind and stabilizes attention—serving as a practical foundation for higher yogic integration (śama, ekāgratā, and īśvara-prāṇidhāna) emphasized in Kurma Purana’s Shaiva-leaning soteriology.
With Lord Kūrma (a Viṣṇu form) recommending worship of Śiva through the liṅga for the good of the worlds, the text models a non-sectarian unity: Viṣṇu teaches Śiva-bhakti as a valid, world-benefiting path within a shared Purāṇic dharma framework.