Linga Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 28

शरभप्रादुर्भावो नाम षण्णवतितमोऽध्यायः (जलन्धरविमर्दनम्)

Devanagari script

वडवाया मुखं भग्नं गृहीत्वा वै करेण तु तत्क्षणादेव सकलं चैकार्णवमभूदिदम्

Transliteration

vaḍavāyā mukhaṃ bhagnaṃ gṛhītvā vai kareṇa tu tatkṣaṇādeva sakalaṃ caikārṇavamabhūdidam

Translation

他以手攫住瓦ḍavā（马面之力）那破碎的口，刹那之间，此整个世界便化为一体的宇宙大海（ekārṇava）。

Word by Word

• वडवायाः (vaḍavāyāḥ): of the Vaḍavā (mare-faced force)

• मुखम् (mukham): mouth/face

• भग्नम् (bhagnam): broken, shattered

• गृहीत्वा (gṛhītvā): having seized/taken hold of

• वै (vai): indeed

• करेण (kareṇa): with the hand

• तु (tu): but/then

• तत्क्षणात् (tatkṣaṇāt): instantly, at that moment

• एव (eva): just/indeed

• सकलम् (sakalam): the entire (universe)

• च (ca): and

• एक-अर्णवम् (eka-arṇavam): one ocean, single flood

• अभूत् (abhūt): became

• इदम् (idam): this (world).

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Vaḍavā (mare-faced power)
• Pralaya (cosmic dissolution)
• Ekārṇava (one-ocean state)

FAQs

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

It frames pralaya as a return to the undifferentiated ekārṇava, reminding the devotee that the Linga signifies Pati (Shiva) who remains steady when names and forms dissolve—thus Linga-puja anchors awareness in the timeless Lord.

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

By depicting instantaneous dissolution into one ocean, it implies Shiva-tattva as the sovereign power of saṁhāra (withdrawal) that transcends pasha (cosmic limitation) and holds all manifestation within his mastery.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The takeaway aligns with Pāśupata discipline: cultivate vairāgya (dispassion) toward worldly stability and meditate on Shiva as the unchanging Pati amid pralaya—supporting Linga-dhyāna as a stabilizing sādhanā.