Shloka 1

Devanagari script

इति श्रीलिङ्गमहापुराणे पूर्वभागे नारसिंहे पञ्चनवतितमो ऽध्यायः ऋषय ऊचुः कथं देवो महादेवो विश्वसंहारकारकः शरभाख्यं महाघोरं विकृतं रूपमास्थितः

Transliteration

iti śrīliṅgamahāpurāṇe pūrvabhāge nārasiṃhe pañcanavatitamo 'dhyāyaḥ ṛṣaya ūcuḥ kathaṃ devo mahādevo viśvasaṃhārakārakaḥ śarabhākhyaṃ mahāghoraṃ vikṛtaṃ rūpamāsthitaḥ

Translation

เหล่าฤๅษีกล่าวว่า “พระมหาเทวะ ผู้เป็นผู้ก่อการสลายจักรวาล ทรงรับรูปอันน่าสะพรึงและพิสดารที่เรียกว่า ‘ศรภะ’ ได้อย่างไร?”

Word by Word

• iti: thus

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

• pūrva-bhāge: in the former section

• nārasiṃhe: in (the episode/chapter concerning) Narasiṃha

• pañcanavatitamaḥ adhyāyaḥ: the ninety-fifth chapter

• ṛṣayaḥ ūcuḥ: the sages said

• katham: how

• devaḥ: the Lord

• mahādevaḥ: Mahādeva (Śiva)

• viśva-saṃhāra-kārakaḥ: the doer/cause of cosmic dissolution

• śarabhā-ākhyam: named ‘Śarabha’

• mahā-ghoram: exceedingly terrible

• vikṛtam: unusual, transformed, extraordinary

• rūpam: form

• āsthitaḥ: assumed, took on

Speaker

Sages (Ṛṣis) at Naimiṣāraṇya (addressing Sūta’s narration frame)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva (Mahadeva)
• Sharabha
• Narasimha

FAQs

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

It frames Śiva as the supreme Pati who governs saṃhāra (dissolution); Liṅga-worship is thereby presented as devotion to the transcendent Lord who can assume any form for cosmic order and the protection of dharma.

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

Śiva is identified as viśvasaṃhārakāraka—cosmic dissolver—showing His sovereignty over creation’s cycles; His taking the ‘vikṛta’ (extraordinary) Śarabha form indicates that forms are instruments of His will, while His tattva remains unconditioned.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

No specific rite is stated in this verse; the implied takeaway is Pāśupata-bhakti and inner steadiness—seeing even terrifying divine manifestations as compassionate acts of Pati meant to loosen pasha (bondage) for the pashu (soul).