Linga Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 57

Pāśupata-vrata Māhātmya: Dvādaśa-Liṅga Mahāvrata, Month-wise Dravya, and Pūjā-krama

Devanagari script

सम्पूज्य पूज्यं विधिनैवमीशं प्रणम्य मूर्ध्ना सह भृत्यपुत्रैः व्यपोहनं नाम जपेत्स्तवं च प्रदक्षिणं कृत्य शिवं प्रयत्नात्

Transliteration

sampūjya pūjyaṃ vidhinaivamīśaṃ praṇamya mūrdhnā saha bhṛtyaputraiḥ vyapohanaṃ nāma japetstavaṃ ca pradakṣiṇaṃ kṛtya śivaṃ prayatnāt

Translation

Pagkatapos sambahin nang wasto ayon sa itinakdang ritwal ang Panginoong karapat-dapat sambahin, si Īśa, at yumukod na may ulo—kasama ang mga tagapaglingkod at mga anak na lalaki—dapat taimtim na bigkasin ang himnong tinatawag na “Vyapohana”; saka magsagawa ng pradakṣiṇa nang maingat at sumamba kay Śiva nang may matatag na pagsisikap.

Word by Word

• सम्पूज्य: having worshipped well/completely

• पूज्यं: the One worthy of worship

• विधिना एव: according to the (scriptural) method alone

• ईशं: the Lord, Īśa (Śiva)

• प्रणम्य: having bowed

• मूर्ध्ना: with the head (in prostration)

• सह: together with

• भृत्यपुत्रैः: with servants/attendants and sons

• व्यपोहनं नाम: named ‘Vyapohana’

• जपेत्: should recite/chant

• स्तवं च: and the hymn (stotra) too

• प्रदक्षिणं: circumambulation

• कृत्वा: having done

• शिवं: Śiva

• प्रयत्नात्: with effort/earnestly.

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva-puja procedure to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It codifies core pillars of Linga-puja—vidhi-based worship, śirasā namaskāra (bowing with the head), stotra-japa (Vyapohana), and pradakṣiṇā—showing that devotion becomes siddhi-oriented when performed with disciplined effort.

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

Śiva is presented as Īśa and “Pūjya”—the Pati (Lord) who is intrinsically worthy of worship; the devotee (pashu) approaches Him through reverent surrender and regulated practice, loosening pasha (bondage) via mantra-stotra and embodied reverence.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Stotra-japa of the Vyapohana hymn and pradakṣiṇā are highlighted as disciplined upāsanā; the emphasis on prayatna aligns with Pāśupata-style sādhana where repeated recitation and ritual movement refine attention toward Śiva.