Linga Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 118

उमामहेश्वरव्रतं—पञ्चाक्षरमन्त्रस्य माहात्म्यं, न्यासः, जपविधिः, सदाचारः, विनियोगः

Devanagari script

सर्वे ते जपयज्ञस्य कलां नार्हन्ति षोडशीम् माहात्म्यं वाचिकस्यैव जपयज्ञस्य कीर्तितम्

Transliteration

sarve te japayajñasya kalāṃ nārhanti ṣoḍaśīm māhātmyaṃ vācikasyaiva japayajñasya kīrtitam

Translation

彼等诸法皆不及持咒之祭（japa-yajña）之十六分之一。故宣说以言语朗诵之持咒祭（vāchika）的伟大——此为直达主宰帕提（Pati）之道，令有缚之灵（paśu）脱离系缚（pāśa）。

Word by Word

• सर्वे (sarve): all

• ते (te): those

• जपयज्ञस्य (japayajñasya): of the japa-sacrifice

• कलाम् (kalām): a fraction/part

• न (na): not

• अर्हन्ति (arhanti): are worthy of/measure up to

• षोडशीम् (ṣoḍaśīm): the sixteenth part

• माहात्म्यम् (māhātmyam): greatness, glory

• वाचिकस्य (vācikasya): of the spoken/aloud (recitation)

• एव (eva): indeed/alone

• जपयज्ञस्य (japayajñasya): of the japa-sacrifice

• कीर्तितम् (kīrtitam): is declared/proclaimed

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It elevates mantra-japa as an inner yajña that can surpass external ritual measures, aligning Linga worship with interiorized devotion and direct Shiva-upāsanā.

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

Shiva is implied as Pati—the supreme Lord approachable through japa—whose grace releases the paśu (individual soul) from pāśa (bondage), making inner practice spiritually decisive.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Vāchika-japa (aloud recitation) is highlighted as a japa-yajña, a Shaiva sādhanā that supports Pashupata-oriented purification and steady remembrance of Mahādeva.