Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 10
यस्मिन्नेव ततो लिंगं लयनात्कथितं पुरा । तस्माल्लिंगे लयं प्राप्ता परा शक्तिः कुतोऽपरे
yasminneva tato liṃgaṃ layanātkathitaṃ purā | tasmālliṃge layaṃ prāptā parā śaktiḥ kuto'pare
เพราะเหตุนั้นแต่ก่อนจึงเรียกว่า ‘ลิงคะ’ เนื่องด้วยสรรพสิ่งย่อมลายลงในนั้น เมื่อแม้ศักติสูงสุดยังสลายเข้าสู่ลิงคะนั้น แล้วสิ่งอื่นจะยิ่งเพียงใดเล่า
Vyāsa (continuing Nandin’s doctrine)
Tirtha: Kedāra Liṅga
Type: kshetra
Listener: disciples/dvijas in Kedāra context
Scene: A didactic tableau: a teacher points to the Liṅga while the cosmos—planets, beings, elements—visibly contracts into it like rivers into the sea; the idea of ‘name from function’ (liṅga from laya) is highlighted.
FAQs
The Liṅga is portrayed as the ultimate ground where even supreme cosmic power resolves—hence it is the highest refuge.
Contextually Kedāra, where Liṅga worship is celebrated as a direct approach to the supreme dissolving-principle.
Implicit encouragement toward Liṅga devotion; the explicit injunction appears in the next verse.