Linga Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 179

देवैर्विष्णोः शरणागमनम्—शिवलिङ्गस्थापनं, शिवसहस्रनामस्तवः, सुदर्शनचक्रप्रदानं च

Devanagari script

वरदो ऽहं वरश्रेष्ठ वरान्वरय चेप्सितान् भक्त्या वशीकृतो नूनं त्वयाहं पुरुषोत्तम

Transliteration

varado 'haṃ varaśreṣṭha varānvaraya cepsitān bhaktyā vaśīkṛto nūnaṃ tvayāhaṃ puruṣottama

Translation

我乃赐福者。噢，诸求愿者中最胜者，汝当选择所愿之福。诚然，噢至上之人（Puruṣottama），我已为汝之奉爱（bhakti）所摄受。

Word by Word

• varadaḥ: giver of boons

• aham: I

• vara-śreṣṭha: O best among those seeking a boon / O excellent boon-seeker

• varān: boons

• varaya: choose (request)

• ca: and

• īpsitān: desired, wished-for

• bhaktyā: by devotion

• vaśī-kṛtaḥ: made compliant, won over

• nūnam: surely, indeed

• tvayā: by you

• aham: I

• puruṣottama: O Supreme Person

Speaker

Shiva

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It presents Shiva as Varada—the Linga’s indwelling Pati—who responds to sincere bhakti by granting the devotee’s chosen aims, showing that devotion is central to Linga-upasana.

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

Shiva-tattva is shown as sovereign yet compassionately accessible: the transcendent Lord (Pati) freely bestows grace, and devotion becomes the channel through which His anugraha operates for the soul.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The key practice is bhakti as a Pashupata-oriented discipline—single-point devotion and surrender that loosens pasha (bondage) and draws the Lord’s boon-giving grace.