Linga Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 35

दक्षयज्ञध्वंसः—वीरभद्रप्रेषणं, देवविष्ण्वोः पराजयः, पुनरनुग्रहः

Devanagari script

वीरभद्रः समाधाय विशिरस्कमथाकरोत् ततः प्रजापतिं धर्मं कश्यपं च जगद्गुरुम्

Transliteration

vīrabhadraḥ samādhāya viśiraskamathākarot tataḥ prajāpatiṃ dharmaṃ kaśyapaṃ ca jagadgurum

Translation

ਤਦੋਂ ਵੀਰਭਦ੍ਰ ਨੇ ਆਪਣੇ ਆਪ ਨੂੰ ਤਿਆਰ ਕਰਕੇ ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਸਿਰੋਂ ਵਾਂਝਾ ਕਰ ਦਿੱਤਾ; ਫਿਰ ਪ੍ਰਜਾਪਤੀ ਧਰਮ ਅਤੇ ਜਗਦਗੁਰੂ ਕਸ਼੍ਯਪ ਨੂੰ ਵੀ ਵਸ਼ ਵਿੱਚ ਕੀਤਾ। ਇਸ ਤਰ੍ਹਾਂ ਪ੍ਰਭੂ ਦੇ ਗਣ-ਬਲ ਨੇ ਯਜ੍ਞ-ਜਨਿਤ ਅਹੰਕਾਰ ਨੂੰ ਚੂਰ ਕਰਕੇ, ਪਾਸ਼-ਬੱਧ ਪਸ਼ੂ ਦੇ ਬੰਧਨ ਨੂੰ ਕੱਟਦਿਆਂ, ਪਤੀ (ਸ਼ਿਵ) ਦੀ ਸਰਵ ਕਰਮਾਂ ਉੱਤੇ ਪਰਮ ਅਧਿਕਾਰਤਾ ਸਥਾਪਿਤ ਕੀਤੀ।

Word by Word

• वीरभद्रः: Vīrabhadra

• समाधाय: having composed/collected himself, having readied (for action)

• विशिरस्कम्: headless, deprived of the head

• अथ: then

• अकरोत्: made, rendered

• ततः: thereafter

• प्रजापतिम्: Prajāpati (lord of creatures)

• धर्मम्: Dharma (personified)

• कश्यपम्: Kaśyapa (sage/progenitor)

• च: and

• जगद्गुरुम्: teacher/preceptor of the world

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Daksha-yajna episode to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Virabhadra
• Prajapati
• Dharma
• Kashyapa

FAQs

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

It shows that Shiva (Pati) is not constrained by external ritual (yajña); when worship becomes ego-driven, it turns into pāśa (bondage) for the paśu. True Linga-oriented devotion prioritizes surrender and inner purity over pride in rite and status.

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

Through Vīrabhadra—Shiva’s manifested gaṇa-force—Shiva-tattva is portrayed as the sovereign power that corrects cosmic disorder, humbles even Prajāpatis, and re-establishes dharmic alignment by removing the “head” of अहंकार (ego) that fuels bondage.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The implied Pāśupata teaching is ego-cutting discipline: transforming ritual into inner worship by abandoning self-importance (ahaṅkāra) and aligning action with devotion to Pati (Shiva), rather than mere sacrificial display.