Linga Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 35

Adhyaya 17: लिङ्गोद्भव—ब्रह्मविष्ण्वहङ्कार-शमनं, ओंकार-प्रादुर्भावः, मन्त्र-तत्त्वं च

Devanagari script

अनौपम्यमनिर्देश्यम् अव्यक्तं विश्वसंभवम् तस्य ज्वालासहस्रेण मोहितो भगवान् हरिः

Transliteration

anaupamyamanirdeśyam avyaktaṃ viśvasaṃbhavam tasya jvālāsahasreṇa mohito bhagavān hariḥ

Translation

无可比拟、不可言说、未显现、且为宇宙所从生之本源——被那神秘林伽所放出的千重火焰所惑，主哈利（毗湿奴）心神迷乱。

Word by Word

• anaupamyam: incomparable, without equal

• anirdeśyam: indescribable, beyond indication

• avyaktaṁ: unmanifest, not grasped by the senses

• viśva-sambhavam: the origin/source of the cosmos

• tasya: of that (Linga/that Reality)

• jvālā-sahasreṇa: by a thousand flames / by countless blazing tongues of fire

• mohitaḥ: deluded, bewildered, overpowered

• bhagavān: the Blessed Lord

• hariḥ: Hari, Viṣṇu

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimisharanya; describing the Linga’s appearance and its effect on Vishnu)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Shiva
• Linga

FAQs

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

It frames the Linga as the incomparable, indescribable, unmanifest source of the cosmos—so Linga-pūjā is worship of Pati (Śiva) as the transcendent origin, not merely a visible emblem.

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

Śiva-tattva is presented as anaupamya (without equal), anirdeśya (beyond speech), and avyakta (unmanifest), yet viśva-sambhava (the causal ground of manifestation)—a hallmark of Pati as both transcendent and the source of all.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The verse points to contemplative Pāśupata orientation: the mind is humbled before the avyakta Pati; in practice this supports dhyāna on the jyoti (inner light) of the Linga and surrender beyond conceptualization.