Linga Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 31

आचार्य-धर्मलक्षण-श्रद्धाभक्तिप्राधान्यं तथा लिङ्गे ध्यान-पूजाविधानसंकेतः

Adhyaya 10

Devanagari script

भवे भक्तिर्न संदेहस् तया युक्तो विमुच्यते अयोग्यस्यापि भगवान् भक्तस्य परमेश्वरः

Transliteration

bhave bhaktirna saṃdehas tayā yukto vimucyate ayogyasyāpi bhagavān bhaktasya parameśvaraḥ

Translation

在轮回流转（saṁsāra）之中，唯有奉爱（bhakti）最为确实，毫无疑虑。具足此奉爱者，得以解脱。即便本不相应之人，若为真实的奉爱者，亦能亲近并证得具福的帕拉梅湿伐罗。

Word by Word

• bhave: in worldly becoming/saṁsāra

• bhaktiḥ: devotion (to Pati, Shiva)

• na: not

• saṁdehaḥ: doubt

• tayā: by that (devotion)

• yuktaḥ: joined/endowed

• vimucyate: is released/liberated

• ayogyasya api: even of the unqualified

• bhagavān: the Blessed Lord

• bhaktasya: of the devotee

• parameśvaraḥ: the Supreme Lord (Shiva, Pati)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It establishes that sincere bhakti to Parameśvara (worship of Shiva through the Linga) is itself a sufficient liberating force, overriding doubts and even compensating for lack of ritual qualification.

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

Shiva is presented as Parameśvara and Bhagavān—the Pati who responds to devotion and grants release to the pashu (individual soul) from pasha (bondage), emphasizing grace (anugraha) over mere eligibility.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The verse highlights bhakti as the core sādhanā; in a Pāśupata-oriented reading, devotion functions as the decisive inner discipline that culminates in vimukti, with external pūjā serving to steady and express that devotion.