Shloka 1

प्रलय-तत्त्वलयः, नीललोहित-रुद्रः, अष्टमूर्तिस्तवः, एवं ब्रह्मणो वैराग्यम्

Devanagari script

इति श्रीलिङ्गमहापुराणे पूर्वभागे चतुर्युगपरिमाणं नाम चत्वारिंशो ऽध्यायः इन्द्र उवाच पुनः ससर्ज भगवान् प्रभ्रष्टाः पूर्ववत्प्रजाः सहस्रयुगपर्यन्ते प्रभाते तु पितामहः

Transliteration

iti śrīliṅgamahāpurāṇe pūrvabhāge caturyugaparimāṇaṃ nāma catvāriṃśo 'dhyāyaḥ indra uvāca punaḥ sasarja bhagavān prabhraṣṭāḥ pūrvavatprajāḥ sahasrayugaparyante prabhāte tu pitāmahaḥ

Translation

Assim, no Śrī Liṅga Mahāpurāṇa, no Pūrvabhāga, encerra-se o quadragésimo capítulo, intitulado “A Medida dos Quatro Yugas”. Disse Indra: Ao alvorecer que marca o término de mil yugas, o Avô (Brahmā), o Senhor Bem-aventurado, voltou a criar os seres que haviam decaído, recriando os mundos e as criaturas como antes.

Word by Word

• iti: thus

• śrī-liṅga-mahāpurāṇe: in the auspicious Liṅga Mahāpurāṇa

• pūrva-bhāge: in the first section (Pūrvabhāga)

• caturyuga-parimāṇam: the measure/extent of the four yugas

• nāma: named

• catvāriṃśaḥ adhyāyaḥ: the fortieth chapter

• indra uvāca: Indra said

• punaḥ: again

• sasarja: created/emitted

• bhagavān: the Blessed Lord

• prabhraṣṭāḥ: fallen away/withdrawn (at dissolution)

• pūrva-vat: as formerly

• prajāḥ: creatures/subjects

• sahasra-yuga-paryante: at the end of a thousand yugas

• prabhāte: at dawn

• tu: indeed

• pitāmahaḥ: the Grandsire (Brahmā).

Speaker

Indra

Characters & Entities

• Indra
• Brahma (Pitamaha)

FAQs

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

It places Liṅga Purāṇa teaching within the vast cycle of yugas and dissolutions, implying that all manifested forms—including ritual worlds where liṅga-pūjā is performed—arise and subside cyclically, while devotion to Pati (Śiva) is oriented to what transcends these cycles.

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

Even though Brahmā is named as the recreator, the verse’s cosmological frame aligns with Śaiva Siddhānta: Brahmā functions as an instrumental cause within time, while Shiva-tattva as Pati is the transcendent ground enabling creation, maintenance, and reabsorption beyond the limits of yuga-time.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

No specific ritual is prescribed here; the takeaway is contemplative—Pāśupata-oriented vairāgya (dispassion) toward cyclic time (yugas/pralaya) and steadiness in seeking liberation of the paśu from pāśa through devotion and discipline directed to Pati.