Shloka 88

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

Devanagari script

वर्णाः षडधिकाः षष्टिर् अस्य मन्त्रवरस्य तु पञ्च मन्त्रांस् तथा लब्ध्वा जजाप भगवान् हरिः

Transliteration

varṇāḥ ṣaḍadhikāḥ ṣaṣṭir asya mantravarasya tu pañca mantrāṃs tathā labdhvā jajāpa bhagavān hariḥ

Translation

ఈ ఉత్తమ మంత్రంలో అరవైఆరు వర్ణాలు ఉన్నాయి. అలాగే ఐదు మంత్రాలను పొందిన తరువాత భగవాన్ హరి వాటిని జపించాడు।

Word by Word

• वर्णाः: syllables/phonemes

• षडधिकाः: increased by six

• षष्टिः: sixty

• अस्य: of this

• मन्त्रवरस्य: of the excellent mantra

• तु: indeed

• पञ्च: five

• मन्त्रान्: mantras

• तथा: likewise/also

• लब्ध्वा: having obtained/received

• जजाप: repeated in japa/chanted

• भगवान्: the Blessed Lord

• हरिः: Hari (Viṣṇu)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Purana’s account to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu (Hari)

FAQs

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

It frames Liṅga-oriented worship as mantra-centered: the efficacy lies in receiving the proper mantras and performing steady japa, even by Hari, showing that devotion and mantra-discipline are central to approaching Pati (Śiva) as the Liṅga.

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

By implying that even Viṣṇu engages in japa of Liṅga-related mantras, the verse points to Śiva as Pati—the supreme reality accessible through mantra (śabda) and disciplined practice, beyond sectarian limitation.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Mantra-japa after mantra-dīkṣā/receipt: obtaining the (five) mantras and repeating them with concentration—an essential Pāśupata-aligned discipline for loosening pāśa (bondage) upon the paśu (individual soul).