Linga Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 114

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

Devanagari script

यथा तरङ्गा लहरीसमूहा युध्यन्ति चान्योन्यमपांनिधौ च जलाश्रयादेव जडीकृताश् च सुरासुरास्तद्वदजस्य सर्वम्

Transliteration

yathā taraṅgā laharīsamūhā yudhyanti cānyonyamapāṃnidhau ca jalāśrayādeva jaḍīkṛtāś ca surāsurāstadvadajasya sarvam

Translation

正如海中波涛——汇成无数浪涌——彼此冲撞争斗；同样，诸天与阿修罗因依附于“水”的根基（物质自然）而变得迟钝，遂相互斗争。亦复如是，这一切不过是不生者阿阇（Aja）——作为主宰 Pati 的大自在——以其摩耶所显现的戏现。

Word by Word

• यथा: just as

• तरङ्गाः: waves

• लहरी-समूहाः: a multitude/cluster of billows

• युध्यन्ति: fight, contend

• च: and

• अन्योन्यम्: with one another

• अपाम्-निधौ: in the ocean (treasure-house of waters)

• च: and

• जल-आश्रयात्: due to dependence on water / by taking refuge in water

• एव: indeed

• जडीकृताः: made dull, inert, stupefied

• च: and

• सुर-असुराः: Devas and Asuras

• तद्वत्: in that same manner

• अजस्य: of the Unborn (Aja—Shiva as the transcendent Pati)

• सर्वम्: all (this world/drama).

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Purana to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Devas
• Asuras
• Aja

FAQs

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

It reframes cosmic conflict as māyā-driven motion like waves in water, directing the devotee to worship the Linga as the unmoving Pati (Shiva) beyond the agitation of prakṛti.

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

Shiva is indicated as Aja (the Unborn), the ultimate ground in which all phenomena and oppositions arise; Devas and Asuras act as conditioned pashus, while Shiva remains the transcendent Pati whose power manifests the play.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

A key Pashupata takeaway is vairāgya (dispassion): observe conflict as wave-like māyā, steady the mind in Shiva through dhyāna on the Linga and withdrawal from pasha-bound identifications.