Linga Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 38

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

Devanagari script

भूततन्मात्रसर्गो ऽयं विज्ञेयस्तु परस्परम् वैकारिकादहङ्कारात् सत्त्वोद्रिक्तात्तु सात्त्विकात्

Transliteration

bhūtatanmātrasargo 'yaṃ vijñeyastu parasparam vaikārikādahaṅkārāt sattvodriktāttu sāttvikāt

Translation

此乃坦玛特拉（微细元素）与诸大（bhūta，粗大元素）之创造，当知其依次互相关联。它从毗迦利迦（vaikārika，萨埵性）之我慢（ahaṅkāra）而起，即萨埵占胜之我执。

Word by Word

• bhūta: gross element

• tanmātra: subtle element (sense-potential)

• sargaḥ: emanation/creation

• ayam: this

• vijñeyaḥ: should be known/understood

• tu: indeed

• parasparam: mutually, in relation to one another

• vaikārikāt: from the vaikārika (sāttvika, modifying) aspect

• ahaṅkārāt: from ahaṅkāra (I-maker/ego principle)

• sattva-udriktāt: in which sattva is predominant

• tu: and/indeed

• sāttvikāt: from the sāttvika nature/aspect

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the cosmological teaching within the Linga Purana discourse)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It grounds Linga-worship in tattva-viveka: by understanding how bhūtas and tanmātras arise from sāttvika ahaṅkāra, the devotee recognizes all manifested categories as dependent and turns the mind toward Pati (Shiva), the transcendent source beyond the guṇas.

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

By implication, Shiva-tattva is not a product of ahaṅkāra or guṇic evolution; the verse maps the created chain (tanmātra–bhūta) so the seeker can distinguish Pashu (the individual bound by tattvas) from Pati (Shiva), who is prior to and sovereign over this sequence.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

A yogic practice is implied: tattva-dhyāna and discrimination (viveka) used in Pāśupata-oriented sādhanā—observing the rise of ego and its evolutes to loosen pasha (bondage) and stabilize awareness in Shiva.