Linga Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 47

अध्याय 91: अरिष्ट-लक्षण, मृत्यु-संस्कार, पाशुपत-धारणा तथा ओङ्कार-उपासना

Devanagari script

तृतीयां निर्गुणां चैव मात्रामक्षरगामिनीम् गान्धारी चैव विज्ञेया गान्धारस्वरसंभवा

Transliteration

tṛtīyāṃ nirguṇāṃ caiva mātrāmakṣaragāminīm gāndhārī caiva vijñeyā gāndhārasvarasaṃbhavā

Translation

第三摩怛罗亦当知为“离德”（nirguṇā），超越诸质；并且是穿行于不坏音节（akṣara）之量。此摩怛罗应理解为“犍陀梨”（Gāndhārī），由乐音“犍陀罗”（Gāndhāra）之声而生。

Word by Word

• तृतीयाम्: the third

• निर्गुणाम्: beyond the guṇas (qualities)

• च एव: and indeed

• मात्राम्: phonetic measure/metrical unit (mātrā)

• अक्षर-गामिनीम्: moving in/going through the imperishable syllable (akṣara)

• गान्धारी: Gāndhārī (name of a mātrā/intonation)

• च एव: and indeed

• विज्ञेया: should be known/understood

• गान्धार-स्वर-सम्भवा: born from the Gāndhāra note (musical tone)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Linga Purana’s teaching on sacred sound/intonation)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It links Linga-upāsanā to disciplined mantra-recitation: correct mātrā and svara (here, Gāndhāra) refine nāda, making worship align with the akṣara—Shiva as the imperishable reality.

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

By calling the mātrā “nirguṇa” and “akṣaragāminī,” it points to Shiva as Pati who transcends the guṇas and is realized through the imperishable (akṣara) dimension of sound-consciousness.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Svara-śuddhi and mātrā-śuddhi in japa/recitation—an element of nāda-yoga within Pashupata-oriented practice, where precise intonation supports inner absorption.