Linga Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 63

देवैर्विष्णोः शरणागमनम्—शिवलिङ्गस्थापनं, शिवसहस्रनामस्तवः, सुदर्शनचक्रप्रदानं च

Devanagari script

महातपा दीर्घतपाः स्थविष्ठः स्थविरो ध्रुवः अहः संवत्सरो व्याप्तिः प्रमाणं परमं तपः

Transliteration

mahātapā dīrghatapāḥ sthaviṣṭhaḥ sthaviro dhruvaḥ ahaḥ saṃvatsaro vyāptiḥ pramāṇaṃ paramaṃ tapaḥ

Translation

祂是大苦行者，久修长行；最广大、最古老、最坚固不移者。祂即是昼与岁；遍满一切，是真实之量度；亦是至上苦行力（tapas）——清净转化之火，焚尽缚索（pāśa），显现主宰（Pati）。

Word by Word

• महातपा (mahātapā): great ascetic, possessor of mighty tapas

• दीर्घतपाः (dīrghatapāḥ): whose austerities are prolonged/continuous

• स्थविष्ठः (sthaviṣṭhaḥ): the most massive, exceedingly great

• स्थविरः (sthaviraḥ): the ancient one, primeval

• ध्रुवः (dhruvaḥ): the fixed/steadfast, unchanging

• अहः (ahaḥ): day, the principle of daytime/time

• संवत्सरः (saṃvatsaraḥ): year, cyclical time

• व्याप्तिः (vyāptiḥ): pervasion, all-pervading presence

• प्रमाणम् (pramāṇam): measure, standard of valid knowing

• परमम् (paramam): supreme

• तपः (tapaḥ): austerity, inner heat, transformative spiritual power

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva Sahasranama to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It identifies Shiva as the all-pervading reality (vyāpti) and the very measure (pramāṇa) of existence; thus the Linga is worshipped as the cosmic sign of the timeless Pati present in all times—day and year.

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

Shiva is portrayed as unchanging (dhruva), primordial (sthavira), and immeasurably great (sthaviṣṭha), while also being immanent as time itself (day and year) and transcendent as the supreme tapas that reveals consciousness beyond bondage.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The emphasis is on tapas as a Pāśupata discipline—sustained inner austerity and steadiness that purifies the paśu, weakens pāśa, and prepares the devotee for Linga-upāsanā grounded in constancy (dhruvatā).