Linga Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 11

Vighneshvara-Prashna and Deva-Krita Shiva-Stava

Adhyaya 104

Devanagari script

कालकण्ठाय मुख्याय वाहनाय वराय ते अंबिकापतये तुभ्यं हिरण्यपतये नमः

Transliteration

kālakaṇṭhāya mukhyāya vāhanāya varāya te aṃbikāpataye tubhyaṃ hiraṇyapataye namaḥ

Translation

Pagpupugay sa Iyo—O Nīlakaṇṭha, Panginoong Bughaw ang Lalamunan, ang Kataas-taasang Pinuno; O marangal na Tagapagbitbit at Tagapagkaloob ng biyaya; O asawa ni Ambikā; O Panginoon ng ginto at kasaganaan.

Word by Word

• कालकण्ठाय: to the Blue-throated One (Śiva)

• मुख्याय: to the Chief/Supreme Principal

• वाहनाय: to the Bearer/Vehicle-lord (the One who bears and conveys beings

• वराय: to the Excellent One / Bestower of boons

• ते: to you

• अंबिकापतये: to the husband of Ambikā (Pārvatī)

• तुभ्यं: unto you

• हिरण्यपतये: to the Lord of hiraṇya (gold, splendor, wealth)

• नमः: salutation

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating a Shaiva stuti within the Linga Purana’s praise-context)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati (Ambika)

FAQs

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

It is a direct namah-stuti that frames Linga-puja as surrender to Pati (Śiva) who grants vara (boons) and sustains auspicious prosperity (hiraṇya), aligning devotion with both spiritual uplift and righteous well-being.

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

Śiva is praised as Kālakāṇṭha (the transcendent who holds the poison—master of transformation), Mukhyā (the supreme principle), and Ambikāpati (inseparable from Śakti), indicating the Pati-tattva that rules over pashus while remaining beyond pasha.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The practice is mantra-based devotion—repeated salutations (namaḥ) as a limb of Linga-puja; in a Pāśupata sense, it supports īśvara-praṇidhāna (surrender to Pati) to weaken bondage and stabilize inner focus.