Linga Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 13

ग्रहाद्यधिपत्याभिषेकः

Cosmic Consecrations of Lords of Planets and Domains

Devanagari script

सिंहं मृगाणां वृषभं गवां च मृगाधिपानां शरभं चकार सेनाधिपानां गुहमप्रमेयं श्रुतिस्मृतीनां लकुलीशमीशम्

Transliteration

siṃhaṃ mṛgāṇāṃ vṛṣabhaṃ gavāṃ ca mṛgādhipānāṃ śarabhaṃ cakāra senādhipānāṃ guhamaprameyaṃ śrutismṛtīnāṃ lakulīśamīśam

Translation

祂立狮子为群兽之主，立公牛（Vṛṣabha）为牛群之尊；于诸动物统御者中，祂化现娑罗婆（Śarabha）；于诸军旅统帅中，祂安立不可测度的古诃（Guha）；而于《闻》（Śruti）与《忆》（Smṛti）之上，祂置立拉库利沙（Lakulīśa）——即至主伊湿伐（Īśa）自身。

Word by Word

• सिंहम्: lion

• मृगाणाम्: of beasts/animals

• वृषभम्: bull

• गवाम्: of cows/cattle

• च: and

• मृगाधिपानाम्: of the lords/leaders among animals

• शरभम्: Śarabha (mythic mighty beast, Shiva-associated)

• चकार: he made/appointed

• सेनाधिपानाम्: of army-commanders

• गुहम्: Guha/Skanda (Kartikeya)

• अप्रमेयम्: immeasurable, beyond measure

• श्रुतिस्मृतीनाम्: of Śruti and Smṛti (revealed texts and remembered tradition)

• लकुलीशम्: Lakulīśa (Pāśupata teacher-incarnation of Shiva)

• ईशम्: the Lord, Īśvara

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Lakulisha
• Guha (Skanda)
• Sharabha

FAQs

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

It frames Shiva as Pati (the Supreme Lord) who orders the cosmos and even authorizes spiritual transmission—culminating in Lakulīśa presiding over Śruti–Smṛti—supporting Linga worship as grounded in Shiva’s own revealed and traditional authority.

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

Shiva-tattva is shown as sovereign governance: He is the source of hierarchy and meaning, appointing leaders in nature and in dharma; as Īśa, He is beyond measure (aprameya) and functions as the ultimate regulator of both worldly order and scriptural order.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The verse points to the Pāśupata current through Lakulīśa, implying disciplined Shaiva sādhanā (Pāśupata Yoga) under an authorized guru-lineage, where the pashu (soul) is led beyond pāśa (bondage) toward Shiva (Pati).