Linga Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 15

प्रसाद-ज्ञान-योग-मोक्षक्रमः तथा व्यास-रुद्रावतार-मन्वन्तर-परम्परा

Devanagari script

क्रतुः सत्यो भार्गवश् च अङ्गिराः सविता द्विजाः मृत्युः शतक्रतुर्धीमान् वसिष्ठो मुनिपुंगवः

Transliteration

kratuḥ satyo bhārgavaś ca aṅgirāḥ savitā dvijāḥ mṛtyuḥ śatakraturdhīmān vasiṣṭho munipuṃgavaḥ

Translation

祂是克罗图（祭祀仪轨之力），是萨提亚（真理本身），亦是婆尔伽瓦与安吉罗；祂是萨维特利（推动万有者），亦是二生者（内在觉醒的再生）。祂是弥利底由（终结一切的死亡），是百祭之主室多迦罗图，是至慧者迪曼，是婆悉吒，也是诸牟尼中最胜者。

Word by Word

• क्रतुः (kratuḥ): sacrificial will/rite-power

• सत्यः (satyaḥ): truth, the real

• भार्गवः (bhārgavaḥ): Bhṛgu-lineage sage-form, fiery austerity

• अङ्गिराः (aṅgirāḥ): Aṅgiras-sage principle, priestly radiance

• सविता (savitā): Savitṛ, the impeller/solar vivifier

• द्विजाः (dvijāḥ): twice-born, spiritually reborn through inner initiation

• मृत्युः (mṛtyuḥ): death, the terminator of embodied existence

• शतक्रतुः (śatakratuḥ): Indra, performer/lord of many sacrifices

• धीमान् (dhīmān): possessed of supreme intelligence

• वसिष्ठः (vasiṣṭhaḥ): Vasiṣṭha, the most excellent sage

• मुनिपुंगवः (munipuṃgavaḥ): bull/foremost among sages

Speaker

Suta Goswami (reciting Shiva-Sahasranama to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Savitri (Savitṛ principle)
• Indra (as Śatakratu)
• Vasiṣṭha
• Bhṛgu (as Bhārgava)
• Aṅgiras

FAQs

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

It frames Shiva as the inner essence behind Vedic sacrifice (kratu) and truth (satya), showing that Linga-worship is not separate from yajña but its highest, inward completion—offering the pashu (individual soul) to Pati through devotion and surrender.

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

Shiva-tattva is presented as both immanent and transcendent: He is the energizing intelligence (dhīmān) that impels creation (savitā) and also the absolute terminus of embodied life (mṛtyu), indicating His lordship over sṛṣṭi (manifestation) and laya (dissolution) while remaining Satya.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The verse points to the yogic interiorization of yajña: making one’s intention (kratu) truthful (satya) and offering the ego-bound pashu into Shiva as the final transformer (mṛtyu), aligning with Pashupata discipline of renunciation, mantra, and single-pointed devotion to Pati.