Linga Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 48

Adhyaya 44: Nandikesvara’s Manifestation and Abhisheka; The Rule of Namaskara in Shiva-Nama

Devanagari script

नमस्कारविहीनस्तु नाम उद्गिरयेद्भवे ब्रह्मघ्नदशसंतुल्यं तस्य पापं गरीयसम्

Transliteration

namaskāravihīnastu nāma udgirayedbhave brahmaghnadaśasaṃtulyaṃ tasya pāpaṃ garīyasam

Translation

然而，若有人不具恭敬礼拜，只在世俗生活中随口称呼婆伐之名，其所招之罪极其沉重——等同于十个杀害婆罗门者之罪。

Word by Word

• नमस्कारविहीनः: without salutation/reverence

• तु: but

• नाम: the Name (of Śiva)

• उद्गिरयेत्: should utter/recite aloud

• भवॆ: in worldly existence/in the world

• ब्रह्मघ्न: slayer of a brāhmaṇa

• दश: ten

• संतुल्यम्: equal/comparable

• तस्य: of him/for that person

• पापम्: sin/demerit

• गरीयसम्: heavier, more grievous

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva-puja discipline within the Linga Purana’s teaching stream)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It establishes that Shiva-nāma and Linga-pūjā must begin with namaskāra (humble reverence); uttering the Name casually is treated as an offence that obstructs puṇya and deepens pāśa (bondage).

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

By stressing reverence to the Name, it implies Shiva as Pati—the supreme Lord whose mantra is not a mere sound but a sacred access-point to His grace; irreverence turns practice into nāmāparādha rather than liberating upāya.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Pūjā-vidhi and mantra-japa discipline: begin with namaskāra, recite with bhāva (devotional intent), and avoid offences that keep the paśu bound by pāśa instead of moving toward Shiva’s anugraha (grace).