Linga Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 185

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

Devanagari script

ततो ऽसृजच्च संकल्पं धर्मं चैव सुखावहम् सो ऽसृजद् व्यवसायात्तु धर्मं देवो महेश्वरः

Transliteration

tato 'sṛjacca saṃkalpaṃ dharmaṃ caiva sukhāvaham so 'sṛjad vyavasāyāttu dharmaṃ devo maheśvaraḥ

Translation

其后，大自在天摩诃提婆显发“僧迦尔帕”——意愿之力——并显发达摩，赐予真实安乐者。诚然，由其坚决之志（vyavasāya），此达摩即由神摩诃伊湿伐罗而现。

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then

• asṛjat: created/emanated

• ca: and

• saṃkalpam: intention, divine volition

• dharmam: Dharma, cosmic order and righteous law

• caiva: and indeed

• sukhāvaham: bringing happiness/welfare (rightly grounded well-being)

• saḥ: He

• vyavasāyāt: from firm resolve, decisive determination

• tu: indeed/but (emphatic)

• devaḥ: the God

• maheśvaraḥ: Maheśvara, the Great Lord (Śiva as Pati)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Purana; describing Maheshvara’s creative act)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Maheshvara

FAQs

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

It frames Dharma as Śiva’s own emanation—so Linga-pūjā is not merely ritual, but alignment with the Lord’s saṅkalpa (divine intention) and the cosmic order He establishes.

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

Śiva is shown as Pati (the sovereign Lord) whose mere resolve (vyavasāya/saṅkalpa) manifests Dharma; He is the conscious source of order, auspiciousness, and the conditions for the pashu’s upliftment beyond pāśa.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The verse highlights saṅkalpa-śuddhi (purifying intention) and niścaya (steady resolve), foundational to Pāśupata discipline: worship and yoga become effective when grounded in firm commitment to Dharma.