Linga Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 38

मुनिमोहशमनम्

Pāśupata-yoga, Siddhis, Puruṣa-darśana, Saṃsāra, and Prāṇa-Rudra Pañcāhutī

Devanagari script

गोभिर् महीं संपतते पतत्रिणो नैवं भूयो जनयत्येवमेव कविं पुराणम् अनुशासितारं सूक्ष्माच्च सूक्ष्मं महतो महान्तम्

Transliteration

gobhir mahīṃ saṃpatate patatriṇo naivaṃ bhūyo janayatyevameva kaviṃ purāṇam anuśāsitāraṃ sūkṣmācca sūkṣmaṃ mahato mahāntam

Translation

如群鸟成群降落大地，众生亦复屡屡生起；然而无人能再生那本初的先见者——古老的圣诗者，亦即《普罗那》自身——至上导师：比至微更微，比至大更大（即湿婆，超越兽灵paśu之生与缚索pāśa之系的至上主宰Pati）。

Word by Word

• गोभिः: in herds/in multitudes

• महीं: the earth

• संपतते: swoop down/descend

• पतत्रिणः: birds

• न एवम्: not so/never in that way

• भूयः: again, repeatedly

• जनयति: produces, begets

• एवम् एव: just so, in the same manner

• कविम्: the seer/poet, the omniscient sage

• पुराणम्: the ancient one / the Purāṇa (primordial wisdom)

• अनुशासितारम्: the instructor, the supreme governor

• सूक्ष्मात् च सूक्ष्मम्: subtler than the subtle

• महतः: than the great

• महान्तम्: the greatest, the vast Supreme

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimisharanya; praising Shiva as the primordial Teacher)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It frames Shiva (the Linga’s reality) as the primordial Instructor and transcendent principle—subtler than mind and prana—so worship is not merely external ritual but recognition of Pati beyond all births and forms.

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

Shiva is presented as the unproduced, ancient Seer and governor—beyond cyclical generation of pashus—simultaneously the most subtle (beyond sense and thought) and the greatest (the all-pervading Supreme).

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The verse primarily points to jnana-oriented Pashupata insight: meditate on Shiva as the inner ruler (anuśāsitā) who transcends pasha, letting Linga-puja culminate in inward absorption rather than only outward offerings.