Linga Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 85

देवैर्विष्णोः शरणागमनम्—शिवलिङ्गस्थापनं, शिवसहस्रनामस्तवः, सुदर्शनचक्रप्रदानं च

Devanagari script

उत्तारको दुष्कृतिहा दुर्धर्षो दुःसहो ऽभयः अनादिर्भूर्भुवोलक्ष्मीः किरीटी त्रिदशाधिपः

Transliteration

uttārako duṣkṛtihā durdharṣo duḥsaho 'bhayaḥ anādirbhūrbhuvolakṣmīḥ kirīṭī tridaśādhipaḥ

Translation

祂是度脱者，令众生越过系缚；祂是灭除恶业者；对无明之力而言，祂不可攻破、不可承受；祂是无畏的归依处。祂无始无终，是大地与诸天的吉祥与富饶；祂戴冠为王，是诸天神众之主宰。

Word by Word

• उत्तारकः: deliverer, one who carries across (saṁsāra)

• दुष्कृतिहा: destroyer of evil deeds/demerit

• दुर्धर्षः: unassailable, impossible to overpower

• दुःसहः: unbearable (to adharma), impossible to endure

• अभयः: fearless, giver of fearlessness

• अनादिः: beginningless

• भूर्भुवोलक्ष्मीः: the fortune/splendor (lakṣmī) of Bhūr (earth) and Bhuvaḥ (heaven/atmosphere)

• किरीटी: crowned, diadem-bearing

• त्रिदशाधिपः: lord of the thirty (gods), ruler of the devas

Speaker

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

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Devas

FAQs

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

These names present Shiva as Uttāraka and Abhaya—Pati who removes pāśa (bondage) and grants fearlessness; Linga worship is framed as refuge in the beginningless Lord who purifies demerit and elevates the pashu toward liberation.

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

Shiva-tattva is shown as anādi (beginningless), durdharṣa (unconquerable), and duḥsaha (irresistible to adharma), while also being the compassionate deliverer who destroys duṣkṛti and becomes the sustaining splendor of the worlds.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The verse supports Pashupata-oriented practice: taking Shiva as the fearless refuge (abhaya) through japa of these names and steady Linga-upāsanā for pāpa-kṣaya and saṁsāra-tāraṇa (crossing worldly bondage).