Linga Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 28

Indra’s Account: Shilada’s Tapas and Shiva’s Manifestation as Nandi

Devanagari script

अयोनिज नमस्तुभ्यं जगद्योने पितामह पिता पुत्र महेशान जगतां च जगद्गुरो

Transliteration

ayonija namastubhyaṃ jagadyone pitāmaha pitā putra maheśāna jagatāṃ ca jagadguro

Translation

顶礼于你——无生者（阿由尼阇），宇宙之胎藏与本源。噢毗多摩诃，太初祖先；你既为父亦为子。噢大自在天摩诃伊舍那，世界之师，你是一切众生的上师。

Word by Word

• अयोनिज (ayonija): unborn, not born from a womb

• नमः (namaḥ): salutation

• तुभ्यम् (tubhyam): to You

• जगद्योने (jagadyone): O source/womb of the universe

• पितामह (pitāmaha): primordial grandsire, first ancestor

• पिता (pitā): father

• पुत्र (putra): son

• महेशान (maheśāna): Great Lord, sovereign

• जगताम् (jagatām): of the worlds/of beings

• च (ca): and

• जगद्गुरो (jagad-guro): O Guru of the world

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating a traditional hymn of praise within the Purva-Bhaga context)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It frames the Linga as the sign of the Unborn Lord (ayonija) who is also the universe’s very source (jagadyoni), making Linga-puja a worship of the transcendent Pati who nevertheless becomes the ground of all manifestation.

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

Shiva is praised as beyond causation and birth (ayonija) yet immanent as the generative source (jagadyoni). Calling Him both “father and son” indicates His sovereignty over creation—He is the origin, sustainer, and the indwelling presence guiding beings as jagadguru.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The verse supports guru-bhāva and īśvara-praṇidhāna—meditative surrender to Shiva as jagadguru—often paired with Linga-abhiṣeka and mantra-japa to loosen pasha (bondage) and orient the pashu (soul) toward Pati.