Linga Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 50

योगान्तरायाः, औपसर्गिकसिद्धयः, परवैराग्येन शैवप्रसादः

Devanagari script

एतावत्तत्त्वमित्युक्तं प्राधान्यं वैष्णवं पदम् ब्रह्मणा तद्गुणं शक्यं वेत्तुमन्यैर्न शक्यते

Transliteration

etāvattattvamityuktaṃ prādhānyaṃ vaiṣṇavaṃ padam brahmaṇā tadguṇaṃ śakyaṃ vettumanyairna śakyate

Translation

Hanggang dito, ipinahayag na ang simulain: ang sinaunang Pradhāna ay tinatawag na “kalagayang Vaiṣṇava.” Maging si Brahmā ay kayang maunawaan ang mga katangian nito; ang iba’y hindi makaaalam.

Word by Word

• etāvat: thus far/so much

• tattvam: the principle/reality

• iti: thus

• uktam: has been stated

• prādhānyam: the primacy/Pradhāna (primordial material cause)

• vaiṣṇavam: pertaining to Viṣṇu

• padam: state/abode/position

• brahmaṇā: by Brahmā

• tad-guṇam: its qualities/attributes

• śakyam: possible/can be

• vettum: to know

• anyaiḥ: by others

• na: not

• śakyate: is possible/is able

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the doctrinal passage to the sages; reflecting an internal cosmological teaching)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Brahma

FAQs

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

It frames creation at the level of Pradhāna (the primordial cause) as a knowable but limited principle; Linga worship, by contrast, orients the pashu (soul) toward Pati (Śiva) who transcends Pradhāna and its guṇas.

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

By emphasizing that even Brahmā only knows the qualities of Pradhāna, the verse implicitly points beyond it to the higher, guṇa-transcending Lord—Śiva as Pati—who is not exhausted by material causality and is the ultimate ground of liberation.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

No specific ritual is prescribed; the takeaway is viveka (discrimination) in Pāśupata-oriented sādhanā—knowing Pradhāna as part of pasha (bondage) and seeking refuge in Śiva through Linga-upāsanā and yogic detachment from the guṇas.