Shloka 1

Adhyaya 17: लिङ्गोद्भव—ब्रह्मविष्ण्वहङ्कार-शमनं, ओंकार-प्रादुर्भावः, मन्त्र-तत्त्वं च

Devanagari script

सूत उवाच एवं संक्षेपतः प्रोक्तः सह्यादीनां समुद्भवः यः पठेच्छृणुयाद्वापि श्रावयेद्वा द्विजोत्तमान्

Transliteration

sūta uvāca evaṃ saṃkṣepataḥ proktaḥ sahyādīnāṃ samudbhavaḥ yaḥ paṭhecchṛṇuyādvāpi śrāvayedvā dvijottamān

Translation

सूत उवाच—एवं संक्षेपतः प्रोक्तः सह्यादीनां समुद्भवः। यः पठेच्छृणुयाद्वापि श्रावयेद्वा द्विजोत्तमान्॥

Word by Word

• sūta uvāca: Sūta said

• evaṃ: thus

• saṃkṣepataḥ: briefly/in summary

• proktaḥ: has been spoken/declared

• sahya-ādīnām: of Sahya and others

• samudbhavaḥ: origin/arising

• yaḥ: whoever

• paṭhet: recites

• śṛṇuyāt: hears

• vā api: or even

• śrāvayet: causes (others) to hear/recites for

• vā: or

• dvija-uttamān: the best of the twice-born (learned Brahmins)

Speaker

Suta

Characters & Entities

• Suta
• Dvija (twice-born)

FAQs

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

It establishes śravaṇa (hearing) and pāṭha (recitation) of Shaiva Purāṇic teaching as a meritorious act that prepares the paśu (individual soul) for devotion to Pati (Śiva), which culminates in Linga-centered worship and sanctification.

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

Indirectly: by praising the power of sacred narration, it implies that Śiva-tattva is approached through revealed teaching (āgama/purāṇa) and disciplined reception—hearing, reciting, and transmitting—by which bondage (pāśa) is thinned and the soul turns toward the Lord.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Purāṇa-śravaṇa and pāṭha as a devotional discipline—listening, reciting, and sponsoring recitation—functions as a preparatory sādhana aligned with Shaiva practice, supporting purity and steady bhakti that can mature into Pāśupata-oriented devotion.