Linga Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 29

Adhyaya 70: आदिसर्गः—महत्-अहङ्कार-तन्मात्रा-भूतसृष्टिः, ब्रह्माण्डावरणम्, प्रजासर्गः, त्रिमूर्ति-शैवाधिष्ठानम्

Devanagari script

त्रिगुणाद् रजसोद्रिक्ताद् अहङ्कारस्ततो ऽभवत् महता च वृतः सर्गो भूतादिर् बाह्यतस्तु सः

Transliteration

triguṇād rajasodriktād ahaṅkārastato 'bhavat mahatā ca vṛtaḥ sargo bhūtādir bāhyatastu saḥ

Translation

Mula sa Prakṛti na binubuo ng tatlong guṇa—kapag nanaig ang rajas—sumisibol ang ahaṅkāra, ang prinsipyong “ako”. Nababalutan ng Mahat, ang kosmikong talino, ang paglikhang umaagos palabas ay nagsisimula bilang bhūtādi, pinagmulan ng mga elemento.

Word by Word

• त्रिगुणात्: from the three-guṇa (Prakṛti)

• रजस-उद्रिक्तात्: from the predominance of rajas

• अहङ्कारः: ego-principle, I-maker

• ततः: then/from that

• अभवत्: arose/came into being

• महता: by Mahat (cosmic intellect)

• च: and

• वृतः: covered/enveloped

• सर्गः: creation/emission

• भूतादिः: beginning with the elements (source of bhūtas)

• बाह्यतः: outwardly/externally

• तु: indeed

• सः: that (creation)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the cosmology of creation to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It explains the tattva-chain behind manifestation—how rajas-driven ahaṅkāra projects outward creation—so the devotee worships the Liṅga as Pati (Śiva) who stands beyond guṇas and grants release from the outward pull of pasha (bondage).

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

By detailing that creation proceeds through guṇas, Mahat, and ahaṅkāra, it implicitly distinguishes Śiva-tattva as the transcendent Lord (Pati) who is not a product of these evolutes, but the sovereign reality in whose presence the cosmos unfolds.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The yogic takeaway is guṇa-śamana and ahaṅkāra-kṣaya: Pāśupata-oriented discipline aims to turn the mind from outward (bāhya) projection toward inward recognition of Pati, supported in practice by Liṅga-pūjā, japa, and tattva-śuddhi.