Linga Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 115

अध्याय ९६: शरभ-प्रादुर्भावः, नृसिंह-दर्पशमनम्, विष्णोः शिवस्तुतिः, फलश्रुति

Devanagari script

नृसिंहकृत्तिवसनस् तदाप्रभृति शङ्करः वक्त्रं तन्मुण्डमालायां नायकत्वेन कल्पितम्

Transliteration

nṛsiṃhakṛttivasanas tadāprabhṛti śaṅkaraḥ vaktraṃ tanmuṇḍamālāyāṃ nāyakatvena kalpitam

Translation

Mula noon, isinuot ni Śaṅkara ang balat ni Narasiṃha bilang kasuotan; at ang (ulong may mukhang leon) iyon ay itinakda bilang pangunahing sagisag sa kanyang kuwintas ng mga bungo—hudyat ng kanyang pagkapanginoon bilang Pati (Śiva), ang naghaharing pumapawi sa lahat ng pāśa (mga gapos).

Word by Word

• नृसिंह: Narasiṃha (man-lion form)

• कृत्ति: hide/skin

• वसनः: wearing as clothing

• तदा-प्रभृति: from that time onward

• शङ्करः: Śaṅkara (Śiva)

• वक्त्रम्: face/head

• तत्: that

• मुण्ड-मालायाम्: in/on the garland of skulls

• नायकत्वेन: as leadership/being the chief

• कल्पितम्: was arranged/appointed/placed

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Purva-Bhaga account to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Narasimha

FAQs

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

It frames Śiva’s fierce iconography—skin-garment and skull-garland—as a theological sign that the Linga’s Lord is Pati, master over death and impurity; worship of the Linga is thus worship of the power that cuts bondage (pāśa) for the pashu (soul).

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

Śiva is shown as the supreme sovereign who stands beyond fear, time, and mortality; by making the head the ‘leader’ of the skull-garland, the text emphasizes His ruling agency (īśvaratva) over all limiting conditions.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The verse primarily highlights contemplative iconographic upāsanā—meditating on Śiva as Pashupati adorned with symbols of death’s conquest—supporting Pāśupata-oriented detachment (vairāgya) and fearlessness in sādhana.