Linga Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 10

Adhyaya 45: Rudra as Sarvatma—Seven Lokas, Seven Talas, and the Cosmic Body of Shiva

Devanagari script

महातलं हेमतलं सर्वरत्नोपशोभितम् प्रासादैश् च विचित्रैश् च भवस्यायतनैस् तथा

Transliteration

mahātalaṃ hematalaṃ sarvaratnopaśobhitam prāsādaiś ca vicitraiś ca bhavasyāyatanais tathā

Translation

May isang malawak na kalawakan—may sahig na ginto at pinalamutian ng sari-saring hiyas—na punô ng mga kahanga-hangang palasyo at gayundin ng mga dambana, na mga banal na tahanan ni Bhava (Śiva).

Word by Word

• mahātalam: a great ground/expanse

• hematalaṃ: golden-surfaced (golden floor)

• sarva-ratna-upaśobhitam: beautified by all gems

• prāsādaiḥ: by palaces/temples

• ca: and

• vicitraiḥ: marvelous, variegated

• ca: and

• bhavasya: of Bhava (Śiva)

• āyatanaiḥ: abodes, shrines, sanctuaries

• tathā: likewise, in that manner

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Linga Purana to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It frames Bhava’s āyatana (sanctuary) as a jewel-like, consecrated space—supporting the Shaiva view that Linga-puja is not merely symbolic but anchored in a purified, divinely ordered sacred environment.

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

By naming Śiva as “Bhava” and presenting many shrines as his abodes, the verse implies Pati-tattva: the Lord pervades and authorizes sacred space, making it luminous and worthy of approach for pashus seeking release from pāśa.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Temple-centered Śiva-upāsanā is implied: establishing or approaching Bhava’s āyatana for Linga-puja—an outer support that complements inner Pāśupata discipline aimed at loosening bondage (pāśa).