Linga Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 26

विष्णुरुवाच—एकाक्षर-प्रणव-लिङ्ग-व्याप्ति-शिवस्तोत्रम्

Devanagari script

नमो ऽस्त्वजाय पतये प्रजानां व्यूहहेतवे महादेवाय देवानाम् ईश्वराय नमो नमः

Transliteration

namo 'stvajāya pataye prajānāṃ vyūhahetave mahādevāya devānām īśvarāya namo namaḥ

Translation

顶礼于无生者（Ajā），众生之主（Pati），为显现与次第流出之因。顶礼摩诃提婆（Mahādeva）、自在天（Īśvara）——诸天之主；我再三俯首。

Word by Word

• नमः/नमो नमः: salutation(s), repeated obeisance

• अस्तु: may it be

• अजाय: to the Unborn (beyond birth and change)

• पतये: to the Lord/Master (Pati, ruler and liberator)

• प्रजानाम्: of creatures/beings (pashus, embodied souls)

• व्यूह-हेतवे: to the cause of manifestation/ordered expansion (cosmic arrangement and emanation)

• महादेवाय: to Mahādeva, the Great God

• देवानाम्: of the gods

• ईश्वराय: to the Supreme Ruler/Controller

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating a devotional stuti within the Purva-Bhaga context)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva (Mahadeva)

FAQs

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

It functions like a mantra-stuti: worship of the Liṅga is directed to Shiva as Ajā (Unborn) and Īśvara, affirming that the visible symbol points to the transcendent Pati who governs and reveals creation.

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

Shiva is presented as Ajā (unoriginated), Pati (Lord of all prajās/pashus), and Vyūhahetu (the causal basis of ordered manifestation), establishing him as the supreme Īśvara beyond change who still grounds cosmic becoming.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Repeated namas (namo namaḥ) indicates japa and bhakti-centered upāsanā; in a Pāśupata-Shiva framework it supports īśvara-dhyāna—contemplating the Pati to loosen pāśa (bondage) upon the pashu (soul).