Linga Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 6

ध्यानयज्ञः, संसार-विष-निरूपणम्, पाशुपतयोगः, परा-अपरा विद्या, चतुर्वस्था-विचारः (अध्यायः ८६)

Devanagari script

अत्युग्रं कालकूटाख्यं संहृतं भगवंस्त्वया अतः प्रतिष्ठितं सर्वं त्वया देव वृषध्वज

Transliteration

atyugraṃ kālakūṭākhyaṃ saṃhṛtaṃ bhagavaṃstvayā ataḥ pratiṣṭhitaṃ sarvaṃ tvayā deva vṛṣadhvaja

Translation

Ôi Đấng Cát Tường! Chất độc Kālakūṭa cực kỳ hung dữ đã được Ngài kiềm giữ. Vì thế, ôi Thần linh mang cờ hiệu Bò (Vṛṣadhvaja), chính nhờ một mình Ngài mà muôn loài được an lập vững bền và sắp đặt trật tự.

Word by Word

• अत्युग्रम्: exceedingly fierce

• कालकूटाख्यम्: called Kālakūṭa (the cosmic poison)

• संहृतम्: withdrawn/contained/held back

• भगवन्: O Blessed Lord

• त्वया: by You

• अतः: therefore/for this reason

• प्रतिष्ठितम्: established, made stable, firmly set

• सर्वम्: all (the worlds/order of existence)

• त्वया: by You

• देव: O God

• वृषध्वज: O Bull-bannered One (epithet of Shiva)

Speaker

Devas (within Suta’s narration)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It presents Shiva as the stabilizing Pati who contains destructive forces (like Kālakūṭa); Linga-worship aligns the devotee with that sustaining power, seeking protection and inner steadiness.

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

Shiva-tattva is shown as sovereign containment and support: He restrains what would dissolve the worlds and thereby establishes cosmic order—revealing Pati as both protector and ground of stability.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The implied practice is Pashupata-bhāva—taking refuge in Pati through japa and Linga-pūjā for śānti (pacification) and protection, transforming fear/poison into steadiness through devotion and discipline.