Linga Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 20

Varaha-Pradurbhava Context: Prahlada’s Bhakti, Narasimha’s Ugra-Form, and Shiva’s Sharabha Intervention

Devanagari script

ततस्तैर्गतैः सैष देवो नृसिंहः सहस्राकृतिः सर्वपात् सर्वबाहुः सहस्रेक्षणः सोमसूर्याग्निनेत्रस् तदा संस्थितः सर्वमावृत्य मायी

Transliteration

tatastairgataiḥ saiṣa devo nṛsiṃhaḥ sahasrākṛtiḥ sarvapāt sarvabāhuḥ sahasrekṣaṇaḥ somasūryāgninetras tadā saṃsthitaḥ sarvamāvṛtya māyī

Translation

Pagkaraan, habang sila’y nagpapatuloy, ang Panginoon ding iyon ay nagpakita bilang Narasiṁha—may sanlibong anyo, lumalaganap sa lahat, may mga bisig sa bawat panig, may sanlibong mata, at ang Buwan, Araw, at Apoy ang Kanyang mga mata. Noon, ang maytaglay ng māyā ay tumindig at binalot ang lahat, pinupuno ang bawat direksiyon.

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then

• taiḥ: by them/with them

• gataiḥ: having gone/proceeding

• sa eṣaḥ: this very (one)

• devaḥ: the Lord, the divine

• nṛsiṁhaḥ: Narasiṁha (man-lion form)

• sahasra-ākṛtiḥ: of a thousand forms

• sarva-pāt: all-pervading / present on all sides

• sarva-bāhuḥ: having arms everywhere / many-armed

• sahasra-īkṣaṇaḥ: thousand-eyed

• soma-sūrya-agni-netraḥ: whose eyes are the Moon, Sun, and Fire

• tadā: then

• saṁsthitaḥ: stood/was established

• sarvam: everything

• āvṛtya: having covered, enveloped

• māyī: possessor of māyā, the cosmic enchanter.

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Narasimha
• Shiva
• Surya
• Agni
• Soma

FAQs

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

It presents the Lord as all-pervading and many-formed, supporting the Linga as a non-limited symbol of Pati (Shiva) who pervades all directions and realities beyond a single anthropomorphic form.

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

Shiva-tattva is shown as the cosmic Pati who manifests forms at will and operates through māyā—veiling the universe while remaining its inner witness (Moon-Sun-Fire as eyes), pointing to transcendence with immanence.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The verse implies dhyāna (contemplation) on the viśvarūpa—meditating on the Lord as sarvavyāpin (all-pervading) to loosen pāśa (bondage) in the Pashupata path through expanded, non-dual awareness of Pati.