Linga Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 19

Adhyaya 22 — शिवानुग्रहः, ब्रह्मतपः, एकादशरुद्राः तथा प्राणतत्त्वम्

Devanagari script

ततस्तेभ्यो ऽश्रुबिन्दुभ्यो वातपित्तकफात्मकाः महाभागा महासत्त्वाः स्वस्तिकैरप्यलंकृताः

Transliteration

tatastebhyo 'śrubindubhyo vātapittakaphātmakāḥ mahābhāgā mahāsattvāḥ svastikairapyalaṃkṛtāḥ

Translation

于是，从那些泪滴之中生出尊贵众生——具足风（vāta）、火胆（pitta）与痰（水）（kapha）之性——福德深厚、神力宏大，身上甚至饰有吉祥的卍（svastika）纹记。

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then

• tebhyaḥ: from those

• aśru-bindubhyaḥ: from drops of tears

• vāta: wind principle (vāyu)

• pitta: bile/fire principle

• kapha: phlegm/water principle

• ātmakāḥ: constituted of / having the nature of

• mahā-bhāgāḥ: greatly blessed, highly fortunate

• mahā-sattvāḥ: great-souled, spiritually powerful beings

• svastikaiḥ: with svastika signs (auspicious marks)

• api: also/even

• alaṅkṛtāḥ: adorned, ornamented

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Purana to the sages; describing the srishti sequence)

FAQs

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

It frames creation as emerging from sacred, purifying potency (here symbolized by tear-drops), implying that worship of the Linga honors the very source (Pati) from which embodied life (paśu) and its conditions arise.

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

By presenting beings as arising from a divine, subtle cause and marked with auspicious signs, the verse points to Shiva-tattva as the transcendent source that can manifest embodied plurality while remaining the auspicious Lord (Pati) beyond bondage (pāśa).

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The explicit practice is not a ritual instruction, but the imagery supports Pāśupata-oriented contemplation: observing the body’s doṣas (vāta-pitta-kapha) as part of embodied limitation (pāśa) and turning awareness toward the auspicious source (Pati) symbolized by sacred marks and purity.