Linga Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 50

भुवनकोशस्वभाववर्णनम् — सप्तद्वीप-पर्वत-लोकविन्यासः तथा यक्ष-उमा-प्रकाशः

Devanagari script

तमो ऽन्ते च तमःपारे चाष्टमूर्तिर्व्यवस्थितः अस्यात्मनो महेशस्य महादेवस्य धीमतः

Transliteration

tamo 'nte ca tamaḥpāre cāṣṭamūrtirvyavasthitaḥ asyātmano maheśasya mahādevasya dhīmataḥ

Translation

在黑暗的尽际，乃至超越那黑暗之彼岸，八相身（Aṣṭamūrti）安住而立——此即智者摩诃提婆、摩醯舍（Maheśa）之自性之身。祂为主宰（Pati），超越遮蔽的昏冥；此昏冥系缚着兽（paśu）——即个我之灵。

Word by Word

• tamaḥ: darkness/ignorance

• ante: at the end/limit

• ca: and

• tamaḥ-pāre: beyond darkness

• aṣṭa-mūrtiḥ: the eightfold form (Aṣṭamūrti of Śiva)

• vyavasthitaḥ: established/abiding

• asya: of this

• ātmanaḥ: of the Self/essential nature

• maheśasya: of Maheśa (the Great Lord)

• mahādevasya: of Mahādeva

• dhīmataḥ: of the wise/discerning one

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Linga Purana teaching to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Mahadeva
• Mahesha

FAQs

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

It frames Mahādeva as transcending tamas (spiritual darkness) while still manifesting as the Aṣṭamūrti for the world—supporting Linga worship as a means for the paśu to move beyond pāśa (bondage) toward the Pati.

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

Shiva is presented as the Self of all, established beyond the reach of darkness/ignorance, yet capable of being apprehended through his eightfold cosmic manifestation—immanent and transcendent at once.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The takeaway is Pāśupata-oriented inner practice: overcoming tamas through śiva-smaraṇa (remembrance), mantra and contemplative absorption on the Lord as both beyond guṇas and present as the Aṣṭamūrti.