Linga Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 26

आचार्य-धर्मलक्षण-श्रद्धाभक्तिप्राधान्यं तथा लिङ्गे ध्यान-पूजाविधानसंकेतः

Adhyaya 10

Devanagari script

न मिथ्या सम्प्रवर्तन्ते शमस्यैव तु लक्षणम् अनुद्विग्नो ह्यनिष्टेषु तथेष्टान्नाभिनन्दति

Transliteration

na mithyā sampravartante śamasyaiva tu lakṣaṇam anudvigno hyaniṣṭeṣu tatheṣṭānnābhinandati

Translation

Ang hindi pag-iral sa kasinungalingan ay siyang tanda ng śama (panloob na kapanatagan). Ang nakatatag sa śama ay hindi nayayanig ng di-kanais-nais, at gayundin ay hindi nagbubunyi nang labis sa kanais-nais—nanatiling pantay ang loob, karapat-dapat sa landas kung saan ang paśu (kaluluwang nakagapos) ay humaharap kay Pati (Śiva) sa pamamagitan ng katatagan ng kamalayan.

Word by Word

• na: not

• mithyā: falsehood/untruth

• sampravartante: they engage/they proceed in conduct

• śamasya: of śama (mental restraint, tranquility)

• eva: indeed/alone

• tu: and/but

• lakṣaṇam: characteristic/mark

• anudvignaḥ: unagitated, undisturbed

• hi: indeed

• aniṣṭeṣu: in undesired/unpleasant situations

• tathā: likewise

• iṣṭān: desirable/pleasant (things)

• na: not

• abhinandati: rejoices excessively, celebrates, exults

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the teaching on self-restraint to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It defines the inner qualification for Linga-upāsanā: truthfulness and equanimity. Such śama purifies the Pashu so the mind can rest steadily on the Linga as Pati, rather than being dragged by attraction and aversion.

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

By pointing to unshaken equanimity, it mirrors Shiva-tattva as the stable, unaffected ground of consciousness—beyond dualities—toward which the bound soul aligns through śama.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

A core Pāśupata-Yogic discipline: śama (mental restraint) expressed as satya (non-falsehood) and sama-darśana (evenness toward pleasant and unpleasant), supporting deeper dhyāna and mantra-japa in Shiva worship.