Linga Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 40

मदनदाहः — पार्वतीतपः, स्वयंवरलीला, देवस्तम्भनं, दिव्यचक्षुर्दानम्

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मा परमसंविग्नो ध्यानमास्थाय शङ्करम् बुबुधे देवमीशानम् उमोत्संगे तमास्थितम्

Transliteration

brahmā paramasaṃvigno dhyānamāsthāya śaṅkaram bubudhe devamīśānam umotsaṃge tamāsthitam

Translation

Brahmā, bàng hoàng tột độ, liền an trú thiền định hướng về Śaṅkara. Nhờ sự nhập định ấy, Ngài nhận biết Đấng Chúa—Īśāna—đang ngự nơi đó, ngồi trên lòng Umā.

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मा (brahmā): Brahmā

• परमसंविग्नः (paramasaṃvignaḥ): deeply agitated/overwhelmed

• ध्यानम् (dhyānam): meditation

• आस्थाय (āsthāya): having resorted to/undertaken

• शङ्करम् (śaṅkaram): Śaṅkara (Shiva, the beneficent)

• बुबुधे (bubudhe): understood/realized/awoke to

• देवम् (devam): the Deva, the Divine Lord

• ईशानम् (īśānam): Īśāna, the sovereign (a form/aspect of Shiva)

• उमा-उत्सङ्गे (umā-utsaṅge): on Umā’s lap

• तम् (tam): Him

• आस्थितम् (āsthitam): abiding/remaining, seated.

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Purāṇic account; internal focus on Brahmā’s experience)

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Shiva
• Parvati (Uma/Ishvari)

FAQs

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

It shows that true access to Shiva (Pati) is not merely external—Brahmā attains recognition of Īśāna through dhyāna, implying that Linga-pūjā is fulfilled when outer worship is joined with inner contemplation.

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

Shiva is revealed as Īśāna, the sovereign Lord who becomes knowable by grace through meditative absorption; His abiding with Umā signifies the inseparable Shiva–Shakti unity that empowers creation and liberation.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Dhyāna (meditative absorption) is highlighted—an inner limb aligned with Pāśupata orientation, where the pashu (individual soul) turns from agitation toward the Pati through focused contemplation.