Linga Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 109

Adhyaya 71: पुरत्रयवृत्तान्तः—ब्रह्मवरदानम्, मयकृतत्रिपुर-निर्माणम्, विष्णुमाया-धर्मविघ्नः, शिवस्तुति, त्रिपुरदाहोपक्रमः

Devanagari script

कोटिभास्करसंकाशं कोटिशीतांशुसन्निभम् कोटिकालाग्निसंकाशं षड्विंशकमनीश्वरम्

Transliteration

koṭibhāskarasaṃkāśaṃ koṭiśītāṃśusannibham koṭikālāgnisaṃkāśaṃ ṣaḍviṃśakamanīśvaram

Translation

他辉耀如千万日轮；清凉安抚如千万月华；威烈如千万劫火的毁灭之焰——然而他超越二十六种本原（tattva），为无比的主宰，不受任何者统御。

Word by Word

• koṭi: ten million/crores

• bhāskara: sun

• saṃkāśam: resembling, having the radiance of

• koṭi-śītāṃśu: ten million moons (cool-rayed)

• sannibham: comparable to

• koṭi-kālāgni: ten million ‘time-fires’ (the fire of dissolution)

• ṣaḍviṃśakam: the twenty-six (tattvas/principles)

• anīśvaram: not having another īśvara over him, unrivalled/unsuperseded (supreme)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Linga Purana to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It frames the Linga as the sign of the Pati who contains opposites—heat (kālāgni) and cool grace (śītāṃśu)—guiding the devotee to worship not merely a form, but the transcendent Lord beyond all principles.

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

Shiva is portrayed as simultaneously luminous, soothing, and dissolving—yet untouched by limitation—standing beyond the tattva-framework; thus he is the independent Pati, while pashus (souls) remain bound by pasha (bondage) until liberated by his grace.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The verse supports Pashupata-oriented contemplation (dhyāna) on Shiva’s paradoxical attributes—cool compassion and fiery dissolution—used in Linga-pūjā to internalize detachment from tattvas and seek liberation through the Pati.