Linga Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 26

Adhyaya 89: शौचाचारलक्षणम् — सदाचार, भैक्ष्यचर्या, प्रायश्चित्त, द्रव्यशुद्धि, आशौच-निर्णय

Devanagari script

बीजयोनिगुणा वस्तुबन्धः कर्मभिर् एव च यथा द्विप इवारण्ये मनुष्याणां विधीयते

Transliteration

bījayoniguṇā vastubandhaḥ karmabhir eva ca yathā dvipa ivāraṇye manuṣyāṇāṃ vidhīyate

Translation

O cativeiro na existência corporificada surge da semente, do ventre e das qualidades (guṇa), e é moldado apenas pelo karma—assim como, na floresta, um elefante selvagem é trazido ao domínio humano.

Word by Word

• bīja: seed (karmic seed/latent impression)

• yoni: womb/source (embodiment)

• guṇāḥ: the guṇas (sattva-rajas-tamas)

• vastu-bandhaḥ: bondage to the ‘thing’/objective world (attachment to materiality)

• karmabhiḥ eva: by actions alone (through karma itself)

• ca: and

• yathā: just as

• dvipaḥ: elephant

• iva: like

• āraṇye: in the forest/wilderness

• manuṣyāṇām: of humans/by men

• vidhīyate: is arranged/regulated/brought about

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Linga Purana teachings to the sages at Naimisharanya)

FAQs

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

It frames why Linga-puja is transformative: worship of Pati (Shiva) purifies karmic seeds, loosens guṇa-driven conditioning, and cuts the pāśa that binds the pāśu to material attachment.

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

By implication Shiva is Pati—beyond bīja-yoni-guṇa and karma—while the soul (pāśu) becomes regulated by these forces; liberation comes from turning toward the transcendent Lord rather than remaining ruled by karmic causality.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The verse points to disciplined mastery over karma and guṇas—aligned with Pāśupata Yoga—where steady sādhanā (including Linga-upāsanā, mantra, and niyama) tames the mind like a wild elephant brought under control.