Linga Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 13

ग्रहाद्यधिपत्याभिषेकः

Cosmic Consecrations of Lords of Planets and Domains

Devanagari script

सिंहं मृगाणां वृषभं गवां च मृगाधिपानां शरभं चकार सेनाधिपानां गुहमप्रमेयं श्रुतिस्मृतीनां लकुलीशमीशम्

Transliteration

siṃhaṃ mṛgāṇāṃ vṛṣabhaṃ gavāṃ ca mṛgādhipānāṃ śarabhaṃ cakāra senādhipānāṃ guhamaprameyaṃ śrutismṛtīnāṃ lakulīśamīśam

Translation

Ngài lập sư tử làm chúa tể loài thú, và bò đực (Vṛṣabha) làm chúa tể đàn gia súc; giữa các bậc thống lĩnh muôn loài, Ngài hóa hiện Śarabha; giữa các vị chỉ huy binh chúng, Ngài thiết lập Guha—đấng thâm diệu không thể lường; và trên cả Śruti cùng Smṛti, Ngài đặt Lakulīśa—chính Īśa, Đấng Tối Thượng—làm bậc chủ tể.

Word by Word

• सिंहम्: lion

• मृगाणाम्: of beasts/animals

• वृषभम्: bull

• गवाम्: of cows/cattle

• च: and

• मृगाधिपानाम्: of the lords/leaders among animals

• शरभम्: Śarabha (mythic mighty beast, Shiva-associated)

• चकार: he made/appointed

• सेनाधिपानाम्: of army-commanders

• गुहम्: Guha/Skanda (Kartikeya)

• अप्रमेयम्: immeasurable, beyond measure

• श्रुतिस्मृतीनाम्: of Śruti and Smṛti (revealed texts and remembered tradition)

• लकुलीशम्: Lakulīśa (Pāśupata teacher-incarnation of Shiva)

• ईशम्: the Lord, Īśvara

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Lakulisha
• Guha (Skanda)
• Sharabha

FAQs

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

It frames Shiva as Pati (the Supreme Lord) who orders the cosmos and even authorizes spiritual transmission—culminating in Lakulīśa presiding over Śruti–Smṛti—supporting Linga worship as grounded in Shiva’s own revealed and traditional authority.

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

Shiva-tattva is shown as sovereign governance: He is the source of hierarchy and meaning, appointing leaders in nature and in dharma; as Īśa, He is beyond measure (aprameya) and functions as the ultimate regulator of both worldly order and scriptural order.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The verse points to the Pāśupata current through Lakulīśa, implying disciplined Shaiva sādhanā (Pāśupata Yoga) under an authorized guru-lineage, where the pashu (soul) is led beyond pāśa (bondage) toward Shiva (Pati).