Linga Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 22

विनायकोत्पत्तिः / ताण्डव-प्रसङ्गः (दारुक-वधः, काली-उत्पत्तिः, क्षेत्रपालोत्पत्तिः)

Devanagari script

तं दृष्ट्वा बालमीशानं मायया तस्य मोहिता उत्थाप्याघ्राय वक्षोजं स्तनं सा प्रददौ द्विजाः

Transliteration

taṃ dṛṣṭvā bālamīśānaṃ māyayā tasya mohitā utthāpyāghrāya vakṣojaṃ stanaṃ sā pradadau dvijāḥ

Translation

她见伊沙那示现为婴孩，便为其摩耶所迷。遂将他抱起，贴近胸前，献出乳房之乳——噢，二生的圣贤们。

Word by Word

• तम् (taṃ): Him

• दृष्ट्वा (dṛṣṭvā): having seen

• बालम् (bālam): the child

• ईशानम् (īśānam): Īśāna, Lord Śiva as the Supreme Ruler

• मायया (māyayā): by Māyā, the Lord’s veiling power

• तस्य (tasya): of Him/His

• मोहिता (mोहिता): deluded, bewildered

• उत्थाप्य (utthāpya): lifting up

• आघ्राय (āghrāya): drawing close/smelling, bringing near (in affectionate embrace)

• वक्षोजम् (vakṣojam): the breast

• स्तनम् (stanam): the nipple/milk-bearing breast

• सा (sā): she

• प्रददौ (pradadau): gave, offered

• द्विजाः (dvijāḥ): O twice-born (brahmin sages).

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Ishana
• Maya

FAQs

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

It highlights that Īśāna (the Pati) can veil beings through Māyā and then draw them toward Him; Linga worship similarly trains the pashu (soul) to turn from delusion (pāśa) to the Lord’s presence through devotion and recognition.

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

Shiva-tattva is shown as sovereign and playful: the Supreme can appear as a child, yet His Māyā governs perception. The Lord remains the controller (Pati) even when He seems dependent, revealing His transcendence over form.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The verse mainly emphasizes Māyā and devotional intimacy (bhakti-bhāva). As a yogic takeaway, it points to Pashupata discernment—recognizing delusion as pāśa and re-centering awareness on Īśāna through steady remembrance and worship.