Linga Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 22

उमास्वयंवरः / भवोद्वाहः, गणसमागमः, अविमुक्तक्षेत्रमाहात्म्यम्, तथा विनायक-उत्पत्तिसूचना

Devanagari script

काकपाटो ऽपरः षष्ट्या षष्ट्या संतानकः प्रभुः महाबलश् च नवभिर् मधुपिङ्गश् च पिङ्गलः

Transliteration

kākapāṭo 'paraḥ ṣaṣṭyā ṣaṣṭyā saṃtānakaḥ prabhuḥ mahābalaś ca navabhir madhupiṅgaś ca piṅgalaḥ

Translation

祂亦是迦迦帕陀（Kakapāṭa）；亦是阿帕罗（Apara）——超越一切度量之“彼岸之他”。祂是以六十与六十而称数的主宰，护持相续（saṃtāna）之主。祂是摩诃婆罗（Mahābala），大力本身，以九而计；又是摩度平伽（Madhupiṅga）与平伽罗（Piṅgala），放射蜜色赭金之光辉。

Word by Word

• काकपाटः: Kakapāṭa (a divine epithet/name)

• अपरः: the Other, transcendent, beyond

• षष्ट्या षष्ट्या: by sixty and sixty (as a measure/count)

• संतानकः: sustainer of lineage/continuity, perpetuator

• प्रभुः: Lord, sovereign (Pati)

• महाबलः: of great power, mighty

• च: and

• नवभिः: by nine (as a measure/count)

• मधुपिङ्गः: honey-tawny, honey-hued (name/epithet)

• पिङ्गलः: tawny/reddish-brown, radiant (name/epithet)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva’s names to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

This verse functions as a Sahasranama segment: reciting these names while worshipping the Linga aligns the worshipper (pashu) with Shiva as Pati—who transcends all temporal counting—thereby loosening pasha (bondage) through mantra-remembrance.

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

Shiva is portrayed as both immanent (present as the power behind measures like sixty and nine) and transcendent (aparaḥ, the ‘Other’ beyond all measures), indicating the Siddhanta view of Pati as the sovereign reality who governs time yet is not limited by it.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Name-meditation (nāma-smaraṇa) and Sahasranama-japa are implied: in Pashupata-oriented practice, repeated contemplation of Rudra’s epithets—especially those indicating transcendence and power—supports inward steadiness and devotional absorption during Linga-puja.