Linga Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 102

Adhyaya 70: आदिसर्गः—महत्-अहङ्कार-तन्मात्रा-भूतसृष्टिः, ब्रह्माण्डावरणम्, प्रजासर्गः, त्रिमूर्ति-शैवाधिष्ठानम्

Devanagari script

सर्वगत्वाच्च देवानाम् अवश्यत्वाच्च ईश्वरः बृहत्त्वाच्च स्मृतो ब्रह्मा भूतत्वाद्भूत उच्यते

Transliteration

sarvagatvācca devānām avaśyatvācca īśvaraḥ bṛhattvācca smṛto brahmā bhūtatvādbhūta ucyate

Translation

因祂遍入诸天亦无所不至，故称「遍一切者」；因祂为不可违越、不可逃避之必然，故称「自在主」Īśvara。因其广大崇高，故忆念为「梵」Brahman；又因祂是一切有情无情之根基，故称「Bhūta」——万有之有。

Word by Word

• सर्वगत्वात्: because of all-pervasiveness

• च: and

• देवानाम्: of the gods

• अवश्यत्वात्: because of inevitability/necessity (that which must be)

• च: and

• ईश्वरः: the Lord, Pati (sovereign)

• बृहत्त्वात्: because of vastness/greatness

• च: and

• स्मृतः: is remembered/called

• ब्रह्मा/ब्रह्मन्: Brahman, the Great Reality

• भूतत्वात्: because of being-ness/existence as the basis of beings

• भूतः: Bhūta (the Being, the existent, the source of beings)

• उच्यते: is said/is called

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Purana to the sages of Naimisharanya; verse functions as a definitional gloss on divine epithets)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Devas
• Brahman

FAQs

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

It frames the Linga as the sign of the Supreme Pati—Shiva who pervades all, rules by unavoidable law, and stands as the very Being behind all beings—so worship is directed to the all-pervading Reality, not a limited form.

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

Shiva-tattva is presented as sarvagata (all-pervading), avaśya (inevitable/unsurpassable necessity), and bṛhat (the Great, Brahman), establishing Him as Īśvara—sovereign Pati beyond pashu (souls) and pāśa (bondage).

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The verse supports Pashupata-oriented contemplation (dhyāna) on Shiva’s all-pervasion and lordship—an inner practice that complements external Linga-puja by fixing awareness on Pati as the ground of all beings.