Linga Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 154

Adhyaya 70: आदिसर्गः—महत्-अहङ्कार-तन्मात्रा-भूतसृष्टिः, ब्रह्माण्डावरणम्, प्रजासर्गः, त्रिमूर्ति-शैवाधिष्ठानम्

Devanagari script

ते च प्रकाशबहुलास् तमःपृक्ता रजो ऽधिकाः तस्मात्ते दुःखबहुला भूयोभूयश् च कारिणः

Transliteration

te ca prakāśabahulās tamaḥpṛktā rajo 'dhikāḥ tasmātte duḥkhabahulā bhūyobhūyaś ca kāriṇaḥ

Translation

Tuy họ có nhiều ánh sáng của sattva, nhưng vẫn pha lẫn tamas và bị rajas chi phối mạnh. Vì thế họ đầy dẫy khổ đau, cứ hành động lặp đi lặp lại, xoay vần trong ràng buộc.

Word by Word

• te: they

• ca: and

• prakāśa-bahulāḥ: rich in light/sattva

• tamaḥ-pṛktāḥ: blended with darkness/tamas

• rajaḥ-adhikāḥ: with rajas predominant

• tasmāt: therefore

• te: they

• duḥkha-bahulāḥ: full of sorrow/suffering

• bhūyaḥ-bhūyaḥ: again and again

• ca: and

• kāriṇaḥ: doers/agents who act

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the doctrinal teaching within the Purva-Bhaga context)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It frames why the pashu (bound soul) remains restless and sorrowful under rajas-tamas; Linga worship is directed to Pati (Shiva) as the luminous reality beyond the gunas, purifying the doer-sense and loosening pasha (bondage).

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

By contrast: beings are mixed and rajasic, hence bound to repeated action; Shiva-tattva is the pure prakāśa (conscious light) that is not compelled by rajas-tamas, and thus is the liberating Lord (Pati).

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The takeaway aligns with Pashupata Yoga: reduce rajasic compulsion through discipline, mantra and Linga-upāsanā, and cultivate sattva as a stepping-stone to recognize Shiva as the transcendent light beyond all guna-driven agency.