Linga Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 18

अध्याय ९६: शरभ-प्रादुर्भावः, नृसिंह-दर्पशमनम्, विष्णोः शिवस्तुतिः, फलश्रुति

Devanagari script

स्थित्यर्थेन च युक्तो ऽसि परेण परमेष्ठिना जन्तुचक्रं भगवता रक्षितं मत्स्यरूपिणा

Transliteration

sthityarthena ca yukto 'si pareṇa parameṣṭhinā jantucakraṃ bhagavatā rakṣitaṃ matsyarūpiṇā

Translation

为着维系世界之安住，至上之主、最高的安排者已赐予你威能；因为一切众生之轮回流转，曾由具福的主以鱼身（摩蹉 Matsya）示现而护持。

Word by Word

• स्थित्यर्थेन: for the purpose of preservation/sustenance

• च: and

• युक्तोऽसि: you are endowed/commissioned

• परेण: by the supreme (Pati)

• परमेष्ठिना: by the Highest Lord/Ordainer

• जन्तुचक्रं: the wheel/cycle of creatures (pashu-souls and embodied beings)

• भगवता: by the Blessed Lord

• रक्षितं: protected/guarded

• मत्स्यरूपिणा: by (one) having the form of a fish (Matsya-form).

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating an internal praise/instruction regarding divine preservation)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Vishnu
• Brahma

FAQs

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

It frames preservation (stithi) as the Lord’s deliberate function: Linga worship aligns the devotee (pashu) with Pati’s sustaining grace that protects the whole jantu-chakra.

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

Shiva-tattva is indicated as the supreme Ordainer who empowers cosmic functions; even when protection is described through an avatara-form, it is ultimately grounded in the Supreme Lord’s anugraha and sovereignty.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The takeaway is stithi-bhavana in Pashupata-oriented sadhana: meditating on the Lord as protector of embodied beings, reinforcing surrender (śaraṇāgati) and steadiness in daily Shiva-puja.