Shloka 162

Devanagari script

देवासुरेश्वरो विष्णुर् देवासुरमहेश्वरः सर्वदेवमयो ऽचिन्त्यो देवतात्मा स्वयम्भवः

Transliteration

devāsureśvaro viṣṇur devāsuramaheśvaraḥ sarvadevamayo 'cintyo devatātmā svayambhavaḥ

Translation

毗湿奴为天神与阿修罗之主，统御二众之大自在天。祂含摄一切诸神，不可思议，为诸神之内在自我，自生自显。依湿婆悉檀多之义，此等主宰与内住之力，究竟指向“主宰”Pati——至上湿婆——以内在统御者（antar-yāmin）之相显现，令一切神职各得其序。

Word by Word

• deva-asura-īśvaraḥ: lord of Devas and Asuras

• viṣṇuḥ: Viṣṇu

• deva-asura-mahā-īśvaraḥ: the great sovereign over Devas and Asuras

• sarva-deva-mayaḥ: constituted of all gods / containing all divine powers

• acintyaḥ: inconceivable

• devatā-ātmā: the inner Self of the deities

• svayambhavaḥ: self-born / self-manifest

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Purana to the sages of Naimisharanya; verse embedded in a praise-context)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Devas
• Asuras
• Maheshvara (as title of the Supreme Lord)

FAQs

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

It supports the Linga Purana theme that all divine offices and powers converge in one supreme principle; Linga worship trains the devotee (pashu) to seek that single Pati beyond sectarian divisions.

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

Though the verse names Viṣṇu, it uses mahā-īśvara and devatātmā language that, in the Purana’s Shaiva theology, aligns with Shiva-tattva: the inconceivable inner sovereign who empowers all deities and transcends deva/asura polarity.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The implied practice is inner recollection (smaraṇa) of the antar-yāmin during puja—seeing all forms as functions of one Pati—an orientation consistent with Pāśupata-style detachment from dualities and fixation on the supreme Lord.