Linga Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 15

Devanagari script

पृथिव्यां पृथुमीशानं सर्वेषां तु महेश्वरम् चतुर्मूर्तिषु सर्वज्ञं शङ्करं वृषभध्वजम्

Transliteration

pṛthivyāṃ pṛthumīśānaṃ sarveṣāṃ tu maheśvaram caturmūrtiṣu sarvajñaṃ śaṅkaraṃ vṛṣabhadhvajam

Translation

पृथिव्यां पृथुमीशानं सर्वेषां तु महेश्वरम्; चतुर्मूर्तिषु सर्वज्ञं शङ्करं वृषभध्वजम्।

Word by Word

• pṛthivyām: on/in the earth (earth-principle)

• pṛthu: vast, expansive

• īśānam: the Lord, Īśāna

• sarveṣām: of all beings

• tu: indeed

• maheśvaram: the Great Lord (Pati of all paśus)

• caturmūrtiṣu: in the four forms/manifestations

• sarvajñam: omniscient, all-knowing

• śaṅkaram: Śaṅkara (bestower of auspiciousness)

• vṛṣabhadhvajam: he whose emblem/standard is the bull (Nandin).

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Linga Purana discourse to the sages at Naimisharanya, with an internal hymn-like praise of Shiva)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It frames Shiva as immanent within the earth-principle yet transcendent as Maheshvara, supporting linga-puja as worship of the all-pervading Pati who can be approached through a concrete emblem while remaining limitless.

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

Shiva is presented as Pati (Maheshvara) of all beings and as sarvajña (omniscient), manifesting through a fourfold mode (caturmūrti) while remaining Śaṅkara—the source of auspiciousness and liberation from pāśa (bondage).

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

A contemplative upāsanā is implied: meditate on Shiva as present in the element earth and as the omniscient Lord in four manifestations—an inner Pāśupata-oriented dhyāna that can accompany linga-arcana.