Linga Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 103

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

Devanagari script

क्षेत्रज्ञः क्षेत्रविज्ञानाद् एकत्वात्केवलः स्मृतः यस्मात्पुर्यां स शेते च तस्मात्पूरुष उच्यते

Transliteration

kṣetrajñaḥ kṣetravijñānād ekatvātkevalaḥ smṛtaḥ yasmātpuryāṃ sa śete ca tasmātpūruṣa ucyate

Translation

因祂如实了知「田」（kṣetra），故忆念为「知田者」Kṣetrajña；又因其一味不二，故忆念为「纯一者」Kevala，清净无杂。并且因祂安住于身之「城」（purī）中，故称为「补卢沙」Puruṣa。依湿婆派之义，此亦指 pashu（个体我）为内在见证者；当 Pati（湿婆）以恩典除去 pāśa（系缚）时，方证其真实的一体。

Word by Word

• क्षेत्रज्ञः: knower of the field (inner witness/self)

• क्षेत्रविज्ञानात्: from true knowledge of the field (body-mind and its workings)

• एकत्वात्: because of oneness/non-duality in essence

• केवलः: pure, isolated, untainted (kevala)

• स्मृतः: is remembered/declared

• यस्मात्: because/since

• पुर्याम्: in the city (puri—body as the city of experience)

• सः: he

• शेते: lies/dwells/abides

• च: and

• तस्मात्: therefore

• पूरुषः: Puruṣa (indwelling person/witness)

• उच्यते: is called.

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Linga Purana teaching to the sages of Naimisharanya, with an embedded doctrinal exposition)

FAQs

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

It shifts worship from outer form to inner realization: the devotee honors Shiva (Pati) by discerning the indwelling witness (kṣetrajña) within the ‘city’ of the body, preparing the pashu for grace that cuts pāśa.

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

By implying the pure oneness (kevala-ekatva) that is ultimately revealed when bondage is removed—Shiva-tattva is the supreme purity and the source of liberating knowledge, through which the witness-self is known in its true, unbound nature.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

A yogic emphasis on kṣetra–kṣetrajña viveka (discrimination of field and knower), supporting Pashupata-oriented inner contemplation alongside Linga-puja, so worship culminates in insight and liberation.