Linga Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 14

दारुवनलीला—नीललोहितपरीक्षा, ब्रह्मोपदेशः, अतिथिधर्मः, संन्यासक्रमः

Devanagari script

दृष्ट्वा काश्चिद्भवं नार्यो मदघूर्णितलोचनाः विलासबाह्यास्ताश्चापि भ्रूविलासं प्रचक्रिरे

Transliteration

dṛṣṭvā kāścidbhavaṃ nāryo madaghūrṇitalocanāḥ vilāsabāhyāstāścāpi bhrūvilāsaṃ pracakrire

Translation

Nang makita si Bhava (Śiva), may ilang babae—umiikot ang mga mata na tila lasing sa pagnanasa—nakalimot sa dating sanay na pang-aakit; gayunman, sila man ay naantig sa loob at nagsimulang maglaro, iarko at pasayawin ang kanilang mga kilay.

Word by Word

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen

• काश्चित्: some

• भवम्: Bhava, Lord Śiva

• नार्यः: women

• मदघूर्णितलोचनाः: with eyes rolling/swaying as if from intoxication (rapture)

• विलासबाह्याः: devoid of (conscious) coquettish display / beyond deliberate charm

• ताः: those (women)

• च: and

• अपि: even

• भ्रूविलासम्: playful movement/expressive sport of the eyebrows

• प्रचक्रिरे: they performed / they began to do

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It highlights the power of Śiva’s darśana—central to Liṅga-bhakti—where the devotee’s outward show drops away and the mind is spontaneously moved, indicating inner surrender to Pati (the Lord).

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

Śiva as Bhava is portrayed as the direct, transformative Presence: even without deliberate effort, beings are inwardly stirred—suggesting that Shiva-tattva acts as an attracting, consciousness-awakening power beyond ordinary sense-pleasure.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

A yogic principle is implied: through darśana and one-pointed absorption, the pashu (individual mind) becomes involuntarily altered—an early marker of Pāśupata orientation where attention turns toward Pati and away from habitual display.