Linga Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 127

वासिष्ठकथनम् (आदित्य–सोमवंशवर्णनम् तथा रुद्रसहस्रनाम-प्रशंसा)

Devanagari script

प्रभासः पर्वतो वायुर् अर्यमा सविता रविः धृतिश्चैव विधाता च मान्धाता भूतभावनः

Transliteration

prabhāsaḥ parvato vāyur aryamā savitā raviḥ dhṛtiścaiva vidhātā ca māndhātā bhūtabhāvanaḥ

Translation

祂是普拉婆娑（Prabhāsa），灿然光辉；祂是大山，坚固依止；祂是风神伐由（Vāyu），生命之息；祂是阿利耶摩（Aryamā），守护宇宙法序者；祂是萨维特利（Savitṛ）与罗毗（Ravi），推动万有者与太阳。祂是持力（Dhṛti），内在坚忍；亦是维达特利（Vidhātṛ），安立万事者；祂是曼达特利（Māndhātṛ），护持王权者；祂是众生生养者（Bhūta-bhāvana）——超越业垢的主宰Pati，使一切众生显现并加以养育。

Word by Word

• प्रभासः: radiant one, splendor

• पर्वतः: mountain, firm support

• वायुः: wind, vital breath (prāṇa)

• अर्यमा: Aryaman, noble regulator/guardian

• सविता: Savitṛ, impeller of life and rites

• रविः: Ravi, the sun

• धृतिः: steadiness, sustaining power

• च एव: and indeed

• विधाता: ordainer, disposer of destinies

• च: and

• मान्धाता: sovereign upholder, protector-king

• भूतभावनः: producer and nourisher of beings

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Shiva Sahasranama to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that the Linga signifies the one Pati who appears as all sustaining powers—light, breath, stability, and cosmic governance—so worship is directed to the single Lord behind every divine function.

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

Shiva-tattva is presented as the inner reality of Vedic deities and forces (sun, wind, ordainer), indicating that all order and vitality arise from the same supreme Lord who manifests and nurtures all beings.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

A contemplative practice is implied: meditate on Shiva in the Linga as prāṇa (Vāyu) and as dhṛti (steadfastness), stabilizing the pashu (individual soul) and loosening pasha (bondage) through one-pointed devotion.