Linga Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 86

मुनिमोहशमनम्

Pāśupata-yoga, Siddhis, Puruṣa-darśana, Saṃsāra, and Prāṇa-Rudra Pañcāhutī

Devanagari script

प्राणे निविष्टो वै रुद्रस् तस्मात्प्राणमयः स्वयम् प्राणाय चैव रुद्राय जुहोत्यमृतमुत्तमम्

Transliteration

prāṇe niviṣṭo vai rudras tasmātprāṇamayaḥ svayam prāṇāya caiva rudrāya juhotyamṛtamuttamam

Translation

Si Rudra ay tunay na nananahan sa prāṇa (hiningang-buhay); kaya Siya mismo ay may likas na kalikasan ng prāṇa. Kaya dapat ihandog ang kataas-taasang amṛta bilang āhuti sa prāṇa—at kay Rudra—na kinikilalang iisang katotohanan.

Word by Word

• प्राणे (prāṇe): in the vital breath

• निविष्टः (niviṣṭaḥ): entered, established

• वै (vai): indeed

• रुद्रः (rudraḥ): Rudra (Śiva as the inner Lord)

• तस्मात् (tasmāt): therefore

• प्राणमयः (prāṇamayaḥ): consisting of prāṇa, pervading as life-breath

• स्वयम् (svayam): Himself

• प्राणाय (prāṇāya): unto prāṇa

• च (ca): and

• एव (eva): indeed

• रुद्राय (rudrāya): unto Rudra

• जुहोति (juhoti): one offers as oblation

• अमृतम् (amṛtam): nectar, deathless essence

• उत्तमम् (uttamam): supreme, most excellent

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the teaching within the Linga Purana’s discourse)

Characters & Entities

• Rudra
• Shiva

FAQs

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

It shifts worship from only outer ritual to inner realization: Rudra is present as prāṇa itself, so the devotee performs an internal offering (antaryāga) where breath becomes the locus of Linga-consciousness.

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

Shiva as Pati is taught as the indwelling Lord (antaryāmin) established in prāṇa; He is not merely approached externally but recognized as the very life-power sustaining the pashu (individual soul) under pasha (bondage).

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

An inner homa linked to prāṇāyāma and Pāśupata-oriented meditation: offering the “amṛta” (purified vital essence/inner nectar) into prāṇa while contemplating Rudra’s non-separateness from the life-breath.