Linga Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 65

वासिष्ठकथनम् (आदित्य–सोमवंशवर्णनम् तथा रुद्रसहस्रनाम-प्रशंसा)

Devanagari script

विश्वरूपः स्वयंश्रेष्ठो बलवीरो बलाग्रणीः गणकर्ता गणपतिर् दिग्वासाः काम्य एव च

Transliteration

viśvarūpaḥ svayaṃśreṣṭho balavīro balāgraṇīḥ gaṇakartā gaṇapatir digvāsāḥ kāmya eva ca

Translation

ਉਹ ਵਿਸ਼ਵਰੂਪ ਹੈ—ਜਿਸ ਦਾ ਰੂਪ ਹੀ ਸੰਸਾਰ ਹੈ; ਆਪ ਹੀ ਸ਼੍ਰੇਸ਼ਠ ਤੇ ਅਨੁਪਮ। ਉਹ ਬਲਵੀਰ, ਬਲਾਗ੍ਰਣੀ—ਬਲਵਾਨਾਂ ਵਿੱਚ ਅਗੇਵਾਨ ਹੈ। ਉਹ ਗਣਾਂ ਦਾ ਕਰਤਾ, ਗਣਪਤੀ; ਦਿਗਵਾਸਾ—ਦਿਸ਼ਾਵਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਵਸਤ੍ਰ ਮੰਨਣ ਵਾਲਾ; ਅਤੇ ਯੋਗ੍ਯ ਇੱਛਾਵਾਂ ਪੂਰੀਆਂ ਕਰਨ ਵਾਲਾ ਹੈ।

Word by Word

• viśvarūpaḥ: whose form is the universe

• svayaṃ-śreṣṭhaḥ: self-excellent, supreme by His own nature

• bala-vīraḥ: mighty hero, valorous in power

• bala-agraṇīḥ: leader of the strong, foremost in strength

• gaṇa-kartā: creator/organizer of the gaṇas (divine hosts)

• gaṇa-patiḥ: lord of the gaṇas, Gaṇeśa-like overlordship as Shiva’s sovereignty

• dig-vāsāḥ: one clothed in the directions/sky-clad, beyond social coverings

• kāmyaḥ: desirable, worthy of being sought

• eva ca: and indeed/also.

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva’s names to the Sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Ganas

FAQs

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

By naming Shiva as Viśvarūpa and Gaṇapati, the verse supports Linga-pūjā as worship of the all-pervading Pati who governs cosmic order and the divine hosts, making the Linga a universal focus for devotion.

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

It presents Shiva as Pati: self-supreme, the source and ruler of the gaṇas, transcending worldly coverings (digvāsāḥ), and capable of granting kāmya-phala—yet remaining the cosmic, all-formed Reality (Viśvarūpa).

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The implied practice is nāma-japa (recitation of Shiva’s names) within Linga-pūjā; for Pāśupata sādhanā, it reinforces meditating on Shiva as the inner ruler who cuts Pāśa (bondage) and directs the Pashu (soul) toward liberation.