Linga Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 23

ययातिना पूरौ राज्याभिषेकः, दिक्प्रदानं, तृष्णा-वैराग्योपदेशः, वनप्रवेशः च

Devanagari script

जीविताशा धनाशा च जीर्यतो ऽपि न जीर्यते यच्च कामसुखं लोके यच्च दिव्यं महत्सुखम्

Transliteration

jīvitāśā dhanāśā ca jīryato 'pi na jīryate yacca kāmasukhaṃ loke yacca divyaṃ mahatsukham

Translation

Ang pagnanais na mabuhay at pagnanais sa yaman ay hindi tumatanda kahit tumatanda ang katawan. At anumang ligaya ng pagnanasa sa mundo, at maging anumang dakila at makalangit na “malaking kaligayahan”—lahat ng iyon ay hindi pa rin nakabubusog sa paśu na nakagapos sa pāśa.

Word by Word

• jīvitāśā: longing for continued life

• dhanāśā: longing for wealth

• ca: and

• jīryataḥ api: even while (the body) is aging

• na jīryate: does not age/does not wear out

• yat ca: and whatever

• kāma-sukham: pleasure born of desire

• loke: in the world

• yat ca: and whatever

• divyam: heavenly/divine

• mahat-sukham: great happiness

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya; teaching framed as vairāgya leading to Śiva-bhakti)

FAQs

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

It establishes vairāgya: even worldly and heavenly pleasures cannot satisfy the paśu bound by pāśa, so one turns to Linga-centered Śiva-upāsanā as the higher refuge.

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

By implication, Śiva as Pati is the only fulfillment that does not “age” or decay; unlike kāma-sukha or divya-sukha, Shiva-tattva is enduring and liberating for the soul.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The takeaway is renunciation of craving as a prerequisite for Pāśupata discipline—steadying the mind away from kāma/artha so Linga-pūjā, japa, and dhyāna can become liberation-oriented.