Linga Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 47

आचार्य-धर्मलक्षण-श्रद्धाभक्तिप्राधान्यं तथा लिङ्गे ध्यान-पूजाविधानसंकेतः

Adhyaya 10

Devanagari script

पितामह उवाच वाम तत्पुरुषाघोर सद्योजात महेश्वर दृष्टो मया त्वं गायत्र्या देवदेव महेश्वर केन वश्यो महादेव ध्येयः कुत्र घृणानिधे

Transliteration

pitāmaha uvāca vāma tatpuruṣāghora sadyojāta maheśvara dṛṣṭo mayā tvaṃ gāyatryā devadeva maheśvara kena vaśyo mahādeva dhyeyaḥ kutra ghṛṇānidhe

Translation

毗多摩诃（梵天）说道：“噢，大自在天（Maheśvara）——婆摩、达特普鲁沙、阿伽罗、萨德约阇多——诸天之天啊！凭借伽雅特丽（Gāyatrī）之力，我得以瞻见你。以何方便，噢大天（Mahādeva），你变得慈悦而可亲近？又当于何处观想你，噢慈悲之藏？”

Word by Word

• पितामहः: Pitāmaha (Brahmā, the grandsire)

• उवाच: said

• वाम: Vāma (the beautiful/left aspect

• तत्पुरुष: Tatpuruṣa (a face/aspect of Śiva)

• अघोर: Aghora (the non-terrifying, auspicious face of Śiva)

• सद्योजात: Sadyajāta (the newly-born/manifest face of Śiva)

• महेश्वर: Maheśvara, the Great Lord

• दृष्टः: seen, beheld

• मया: by me

• त्वम्: You

• गायत्र्या: by (the power of) Gāyatrī (mantra)

• देवदेव: Deva of devas, Lord of gods

• केन: by what (means)

• वश्यः: made compliant/gracious, won over (by devotion)

• महादेव: Mahādeva

• ध्येयः: to be meditated upon

• कुत्र: where/in what locus

• घृणानिधे: O repository of compassion/mercy

Speaker

Pitamaha (Brahma)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Brahma
• Gayatri

FAQs

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

This verse frames the core devotional inquiry behind Liṅga-upāsanā: by what sādhana the transcendent Pati (Śiva) becomes gracious and how the devotee should fix dhyāna—preparing the ground for Liṅga-centered meditation and worship as an accessible locus of the formless Lord.

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

Śiva is invoked as Maheśvara and Devadeva, yet also as the pañcabrahma aspects (Vāma, Tatpuruṣa, Aghora, Sadyajāta), indicating one supreme Pati who manifests multiple faces for the sake of revelation, grace, and the liberation of the paśu from pāśa.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Mantra-sādhana and dhyāna are highlighted: Brahmā states he beheld Śiva through Gāyatrī, implying disciplined japa/recitation and contemplative absorption as a Pāśupata-oriented means to receive Śiva’s darśana and grace.