Linga Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 17

प्रलय-तत्त्वलयः, नीललोहित-रुद्रः, अष्टमूर्तिस्तवः, एवं ब्रह्मणो वैराग्यम्

Devanagari script

मुने कल्पान्तरे रुद्रो हरिं ब्रह्माणम् ईश्वरम् ततो ब्रह्माणमसृजन् मुने कल्पान्तरे हरिः

Transliteration

mune kalpāntare rudro hariṃ brahmāṇam īśvaram tato brahmāṇamasṛjan mune kalpāntare hariḥ

Translation

噢牟尼，在某一劫中，鲁陀罗——至上自在主——显现哈利为梵天；而在另一劫中，噢牟尼，哈利又复生出梵天。故创造之职分次第相续，而至上之主——帕提（Pati，湿婆）——恒为内在的统御者，超越诸劫之变迁。

Word by Word

• muni/mune: O sage

• kalpāntare: in another kalpa (cycle/aeon)

• rudraḥ: Rudra (Śiva)

• harim: Hari (Viṣṇu)

• brahmāṇam: Brahmā

• īśvaram: the Lord, sovereign

• tataḥ: then/thereupon

• asṛjat: created, brought forth

• hariḥ: Hari (Viṣṇu)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Vishnu
• Brahma
• Rudra
• Hari

FAQs

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

It frames creation as a cyclical function that shifts among deities, while the supreme Īśvara (Rudra/Śiva) remains the abiding Pati—supporting Linga worship as devotion to the unchanging Lord behind all cosmic roles.

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

Śiva-tattva is indicated as Īśvara—sovereign and transcendent—who can manifest or empower other divine forms for sṛṣṭi, yet is not limited by those roles across kalpas.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The implied practice is Pāśupata discernment: meditating on Pati (Śiva) as the inner ruler beyond the changing kalpa-functions, a contemplative foundation for Linga-pūjā and liberation of the paśu from pāśa.