Linga Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 143

ध्यानयोगेन रुद्रदर्शनम् — रुद्रावतार-परिवर्तक्रमः, लकुली (कायावतार), पाशुपतयोगः, लिङ्गार्चन-निष्ठा

Devanagari script

न हि विष्णुसमा काचिद् गतिरन्या विधीयते इत्येवं सततं वेदा गायन्ति नात्र संशयः

Transliteration

na hi viṣṇusamā kācid gatiranyā vidhīyate ityevaṃ satataṃ vedā gāyanti nātra saṃśayaḥ

Translation

诚然，除毗湿奴之外，并无他种归依或究竟之道可与之等同——诸吠陀恒常歌咏如是，此中无疑。依湿婆派之解，此等吠陀赞颂实指向唯一至上之主宰（Pati），以众名受赞；于其本体中，哈利与哈拉无二无别。

Word by Word

• na: not

• hi: indeed/for

• viṣṇu-samā: equal to Viṣṇu

• kācid: any (at all)

• gatiḥ: refuge/goal/path

• anyā: other

• vidhīyate: is prescribed/enjoined

• iti: thus

• evaṃ: in this manner

• satatam: continually

• vedāḥ: the Vedas

• gāyanti: sing/proclaim

• na atra: not here/there is not (in this matter)

• saṃśayaḥ: doubt

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Purana’s teaching to the sages of Naimisharanya, citing Vedic proclamation)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Vedas

FAQs

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

It establishes that the highest gati (refuge) is the Supreme Lord praised by the Vedas; in Linga worship this culminates in taking shelter of Pati through the Linga, where sectarian names resolve into one reality.

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

By affirming a single unsurpassed refuge praised in the Vedas, it supports Shiva-tattva as the supreme Pati—who may also be lauded as Viṣṇu—indicating Hari-Hara abheda at the level of tattva.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The takeaway is śaraṇāgati (taking refuge) as the inner limb of Pāśupata discipline—directing the pashu away from pasha toward the one supreme gati, supported by mantra-japa and Linga-pūjā as its ritual expression.