Linga Purana — Chapter 3
LiP 3.1
अलिङ्गो लिङ्गमूलं तु अव्यक्तं लिङ्गमुच्यते अलिङ्गः शिव इत्युक्तो लिङ्गं शैवमिति स्मृतम्
aliṅgo liṅgamūlaṃ tu avyaktaṃ liṅgamucyate aliṅgaḥ śiva ityukto liṅgaṃ śaivamiti smṛtam
The liṅgaless is the root of the liṅga; the unmanifest is called the liṅga. The liṅgaless is declared to be Śiva; the liṅga is held to be Śaiva (belonging to Śiva).
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
LiP 3.2
प्रधानं प्रकृतिश्चेति यदाहुर्लिङ्गमुत्तमम् गन्धवर्णरसैर्हीनं शब्दस्पर्शादिवर्जितम्
pradhānaṃ prakṛtiśceti yadāhurliṅgamuttamam gandhavarṇarasairhīnaṃ śabdasparśādivarjitam
What they call pradhāna and prakṛti is the highest liṅga: devoid of smell, colour and taste, free of sound, touch and the rest,
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
LiP 3.3
अगुणं ध्रुवमक्षय्यम् अलिङ्गं शिवलक्षणम् गन्धवर्णरसैर्युक्तं शब्दस्पर्शादिलक्षणम्
aguṇaṃ dhruvamakṣayyam aliṅgaṃ śivalakṣaṇam gandhavarṇarasairyuktaṃ śabdasparśādilakṣaṇam
without qualities, constant, undecaying — the liṅgaless is the mark of Śiva. (But that which is) joined with smell, colour and taste, marked by sound, touch and the rest,
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
LiP 3.4
जगद्योनिं महाभूतं स्थूलं सूक्ष्मं द्विजोत्तमाः विग्रहो जगतां लिङ्गम् अलिङ्गाद् अभवत्स्वयम्
jagadyoniṃ mahābhūtaṃ sthūlaṃ sūkṣmaṃ dvijottamāḥ vigraho jagatāṃ liṅgam aliṅgād abhavatsvayam
the womb of the world, the great element, gross and subtle, O best of the twice-born — the liṅga is the body of the worlds; it came to be of itself out of the liṅgaless.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
LiP 3.5
सप्तधाचाष्टधा चैव तथैकादशधा पुनः लिङ्गान्यलिङ्गस्य तथा मायया विततानि तु
saptadhācāṣṭadhā caiva tathaikādaśadhā punaḥ liṅgānyaliṅgasya tathā māyayā vitatāni tu
Sevenfold, and eightfold, and again elevenfold are the liṅgas of the liṅgaless, spread out by māyā.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
LiP 3.6
तेभ्यः प्रधानदेवानां त्रयमासीच्छिवात्मकम् एकस्मात्त्रिष्वभूद्विश्वम् एकेन परिरक्षितम्
tebhyaḥ pradhānadevānāṃ trayamāsīcchivātmakam ekasmāttriṣvabhūdviśvam ekena parirakṣitam
From them arose the triad of the chief gods, whose essence is Śiva. From the one the universe came to be within the three; by the one it is preserved.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
LiP 3.7
एकेनैव हृतं विश्वं व्याप्तं त्वेवं शिवेन तु अलिङ्गं चैव लिङ्गं च लिङ्गालिङ्गानि मूर्तयः
ekenaiva hṛtaṃ viśvaṃ vyāptaṃ tvevaṃ śivena tu aliṅgaṃ caiva liṅgaṃ ca liṅgāliṅgāni mūrtayaḥ
By one alone was the universe taken up, and thus by Śiva it was pervaded; the formless (aliṅga) and the form (liṅga), and the liṅga-aliṅga—(these are his) embodiments.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
LiP 3.8
यथावत्कथिताश्चैव तस्माद्ब्रह्म स्वयं जगत् अलिङ्गी भगवान् बीजी स एव परमेश्वरः
yathāvatkathitāścaiva tasmādbrahma svayaṃ jagat aliṅgī bhagavān bījī sa eva parameśvaraḥ
And (these) have been declared just as they are; therefore Brahman is itself the world. The Lord is without liṅga (yet) possessed of the seed—he alone is the Supreme Lord.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
LiP 3.9
बीजं योनिश् च निर्बीजं निर्बीजो बीजमुच्यते बीजयोनिप्रधानानाम् आत्माख्या वर्तते त्विह
bījaṃ yoniś ca nirbījaṃ nirbījo bījamucyate bījayonipradhānānām ātmākhyā vartate tviha
The seed and the womb are seedless, (and) the seedless is called the seed; here the designation 'self' (ātman) applies to seed, womb, and pradhāna.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
LiP 3.10
परमात्मा मुनिर्ब्रह्म नित्यबुद्धस्वभावतः विशुद्धो ऽयं तथा रुद्रः पुराणे शिव उच्यते
paramātmā munirbrahma nityabuddhasvabhāvataḥ viśuddho 'yaṃ tathā rudraḥ purāṇe śiva ucyate
The Supreme Self, the silent one, Brahman, by nature eternally awakened, this wholly pure one, and likewise Rudra—in the Purāṇa he is called Śiva.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
LiP 3.11
शिवेन दृष्टा प्रकृतिः शैवी समभवद्द्विजाः सर्गादौ सा गुणैर्युक्ता पुराव्यक्ता स्वभावतः
śivena dṛṣṭā prakṛtiḥ śaivī samabhavaddvijāḥ sargādau sā guṇairyuktā purāvyaktā svabhāvataḥ
Prakṛti, belonging to Śiva, was seen by Śiva and came into being, O twice-born ones; at the beginning of creation she became joined with the guṇas, having before been unmanifest by her own nature.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
LiP 3.12
अव्यक्तादिविशेषान्तं विश्वं तस्याः समुच्छ्रितम् विश्वधात्री त्वजाख्या च शैवी सा प्रकृतिः स्मृता
avyaktādiviśeṣāntaṃ viśvaṃ tasyāḥ samucchritam viśvadhātrī tvajākhyā ca śaivī sā prakṛtiḥ smṛtā
From her the universe rose up, from the unmanifest (as its beginning) to the particulars (as its end); she, the sustainer of the universe, named Ajā (the unborn/she-goat), is known as the prakṛti of Śiva.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
LiP 3.13
तामजां लोहितां शुक्लां कृष्णामेकां बहुप्रजाम् जनित्रीमनुशेते स्म जुषमाणः स्वरूपिणीम्
tāmajāṃ lohitāṃ śuklāṃ kṛṣṇāmekāṃ bahuprajām janitrīmanuśete sma juṣamāṇaḥ svarūpiṇīm
Enjoying her, the unborn one (ajā), red, white, and black, single (yet) of many offspring, the mother, taking her form, he lay beside her.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
LiP 3.14
तामेवाजामजो ऽन्यस्तु भुक्तभोगां जहाति च अजा जनित्री जगतां साजेन समधिष्ठिता
tāmevājāmajo 'nyastu bhuktabhogāṃ jahāti ca ajā janitrī jagatāṃ sājena samadhiṣṭhitā
But another unborn one (aja) abandons that very unborn one (ajā) whose enjoyments have been consumed; the unborn Ajā, the mother of the worlds, is presided over by the unborn (Aja).
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
LiP 3.15
प्रादुर्बभूव स महान् पुरुषाधिष्ठितस्य च अजाज्ञया प्रधानस्य सर्गकाले गुणैस् त्रिभिः
prādurbabhūva sa mahān puruṣādhiṣṭhitasya ca ajājñayā pradhānasya sargakāle guṇais tribhiḥ
And that Mahat came forth, at the time of creation, from the pradhāna which is presided over by the Puruṣa, by the command of Ajā, with the three guṇas.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
LiP 3.16
सिसृक्षया चोद्यमानः प्रविश्याव्यक्तमव्ययम् व्यक्तसृष्टिं विकुरुते चात्मनाधिष्ठितो महान्
sisṛkṣayā codyamānaḥ praviśyāvyaktamavyayam vyaktasṛṣṭiṃ vikurute cātmanādhiṣṭhito mahān
Urged on by the wish to create, entering the unmanifest and imperishable, the Mahat, presided over by the Self, brings about the creation of the manifest.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
LiP 3.17
महतस्तु तथा वृत्तिः संकल्पाध्यवसायिका महतस् त्रिगुणस् तस्माद् अहंकारो रजो ऽधिकः
mahatastu tathā vṛttiḥ saṃkalpādhyavasāyikā mahatas triguṇas tasmād ahaṃkāro rajo 'dhikaḥ
And so the activity of the Mahat consists in conception and determination; the Mahat is of three guṇas, and from it (arises) the ego-principle, in which rajas predominates.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
LiP 3.18
तेनैव चावृतः सम्यग् अहंकारस् तमो ऽधिकः महतो भूततन्मात्रं सर्गकृद्वै बभूव च
tenaiva cāvṛtaḥ samyag ahaṃkāras tamo 'dhikaḥ mahato bhūtatanmātraṃ sargakṛdvai babhūva ca
And covered entirely by that very (Mahat), the ego-principle, in which tamas predominates, became—out of the Mahat—the subtle element of the (gross) elements, the maker of creation.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
LiP 3.19
अहंकाराच्छब्दमात्रं तस्मादाकाशमव्ययम् सशब्दमावृणोत्पश्चाद् आकाशं शब्दकारणम्
ahaṃkārācchabdamātraṃ tasmādākāśamavyayam saśabdamāvṛṇotpaścād ākāśaṃ śabdakāraṇam
From the ego-principle (came) the subtle element sound, from that the imperishable ether; afterwards ether, having sound with it, covered over (that) which is the cause of sound.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
LiP 3.20
तन्मात्राद्भूतसर्गश् च द्विजास्त्वेवं प्रकीर्तितः स्पर्शमात्रं तथाकाशात् तस्माद्वायुर् महान्मुने
tanmātrādbhūtasargaś ca dvijāstvevaṃ prakīrtitaḥ sparśamātraṃ tathākāśāt tasmādvāyur mahānmune
And thus, O twice-born ones, the creation of the elements from the subtle elements has been proclaimed: from ether the subtle element touch, and from that wind, O great sage.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
LiP 3.21
तस्माच्च रूपमात्रं तु ततो ऽग्निश्च रसस्ततः रसादापः शुभास्ताभ्यो गन्धमात्रं धरा ततः
tasmācca rūpamātraṃ tu tato 'gniśca rasastataḥ rasādāpaḥ śubhāstābhyo gandhamātraṃ dharā tataḥ
And from that (wind) the subtle element form, and from that fire, and from that taste; from taste the pure waters, from them the subtle element smell, and from that earth.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
LiP 3.22
आवृणोद्धि तथाकाशं स्पर्शमात्रं द्विजोत्तमाः आवृणोद्रूपमात्रं तु वायुर्वाति क्रियात्मकः
āvṛṇoddhi tathākāśaṃ sparśamātraṃ dvijottamāḥ āvṛṇodrūpamātraṃ tu vāyurvāti kriyātmakaḥ
For thus, O best of the twice-born, ether covered over the subtle element touch; and wind, whose nature is motion, blows, covering over the subtle element form.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
LiP 3.23
आवृणोद्रसमात्रं वै देवः साक्षाद्विभावसुः आवृण्वाना गन्धमात्रम् आपः सर्वरसात्मिकाः
āvṛṇodrasamātraṃ vai devaḥ sākṣādvibhāvasuḥ āvṛṇvānā gandhamātram āpaḥ sarvarasātmikāḥ
The god Fire himself covered over the subtle element taste; and the waters, whose essence is all tastes, cover over the subtle element smell.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
LiP 3.24
क्ष्मा सा पञ्चगुणा तस्माद् एकोना रससम्भवाः त्रिगुणो भगवान्वह्निर् द्विगुणः स्पर्शसम्भवः
kṣmā sā pañcaguṇā tasmād ekonā rasasambhavāḥ triguṇo bhagavānvahnir dviguṇaḥ sparśasambhavaḥ
That earth has five qualities; from it (i.e. next below) those born of taste (the waters) have one less; the lord Fire has three qualities, and that which is born of touch (wind) has two.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
LiP 3.25
अवकाशस्ततो देव एकमात्रस्तु निष्कलः तन्मात्राद्भूतसर्गश् च विज्ञेयश् च परस्परम्
avakāśastato deva ekamātrastu niṣkalaḥ tanmātrādbhūtasargaś ca vijñeyaś ca parasparam
Then the god space, having but one quality, is without parts; and the creation of the elements from the subtle elements is to be understood as (proceeding) one from another.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
LiP 3.26
वैकारिकः सात्त्विको वै युगपत्सम्प्रवर्तते सर्गस् तथाप्यहंकाराद् एवमत्र प्रकीर्तितः
vaikārikaḥ sāttviko vai yugapatsampravartate sargas tathāpyahaṃkārād evamatra prakīrtitaḥ
The modificatory, sāttvika (creation) proceeds simultaneously; yet the creation from the ego-principle is here declared in this way.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
LiP 3.27
पञ्च बुद्धीन्द्रियाण्यस्य पञ्च कर्मेन्द्रियाणि तु शब्दादीनामवाप्त्यर्थं मनश्चैवोभयात्मकम्
pañca buddhīndriyāṇyasya pañca karmendriyāṇi tu śabdādīnāmavāptyarthaṃ manaścaivobhayātmakam
It has five organs of knowledge and five organs of action, for the sake of grasping sound and the rest, and the mind, which is of the nature of both.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
LiP 3.28
महदादिविशेषान्ता ह्य् अण्डमुत्पादयन्ति च जलबुद्बुदवत्तस्माद् अवतीर्णः पितामहः
mahadādiviśeṣāntā hy aṇḍamutpādayanti ca jalabudbudavattasmād avatīrṇaḥ pitāmahaḥ
(The principles) beginning with mahat and ending with the specific (elements) produce the egg; therefore the Grandfather descended (into it) as into a bubble on water.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
LiP 3.29
स एव भगवान् रुद्रो विष्णुर्विश्वगतः प्रभुः तस्मिन्नण्डे त्विमे लोका अन्तर्विश्वमिदं जगत्
sa eva bhagavān rudro viṣṇurviśvagataḥ prabhuḥ tasminnaṇḍe tvime lokā antarviśvamidaṃ jagat
He indeed is the lord Rudra, Viṣṇu, the all-pervading master; in that egg are these worlds, and within it this whole moving world.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
LiP 3.30
अण्डं दशगुणेनैव वारिणा प्रावृतं बहिः आपो दशगुणेनैव तद्बाह्यस्तेजसा वृताः
aṇḍaṃ daśaguṇenaiva vāriṇā prāvṛtaṃ bahiḥ āpo daśaguṇenaiva tadbāhyastejasā vṛtāḥ
The egg is enveloped outside by water ten times (its size); the waters in turn are enveloped externally by fire ten times (their measure).
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
LiP 3.31
तेजो दशगुणेनैव बाह्यतो वायुना वृतम् वायुर्दशगुणेनैव बाह्यतो नभसा वृतः
tejo daśaguṇenaiva bāhyato vāyunā vṛtam vāyurdaśaguṇenaiva bāhyato nabhasā vṛtaḥ
Fire is enveloped externally by wind ten times (its measure); the wind is enveloped externally by ether ten times (its measure).
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
LiP 3.32
आकाशेनावृतो वायुर् अहंकारेण शब्दजः महता शब्दहेतुर्वै प्रधानेनावृतः स्वयम्
ākāśenāvṛto vāyur ahaṃkāreṇa śabdajaḥ mahatā śabdaheturvai pradhānenāvṛtaḥ svayam
The wind is enveloped by ether, and (ether) born of sound by the ego-principle; the cause of sound (the ego) by mahat, and (mahat) itself is enveloped by pradhāna.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
LiP 3.33
सप्ताण्डावरणान्याहुस् तस्यात्मा कमलासनः कोटिकोटियुतान्यत्र चाण्डानि कथितानि तु
saptāṇḍāvaraṇānyāhus tasyātmā kamalāsanaḥ koṭikoṭiyutānyatra cāṇḍāni kathitāni tu
They say there are seven envelopes of the egg; its soul is the lotus-seated one (Brahmā); and here eggs numbering crores upon crores are declared (to exist).
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
LiP 3.34
तत्रतत्र चतुर्वक्त्रा ब्रह्माणो हरयो भवाः सृष्टाः प्रधानेन तदा लब्ध्वा शम्भोस्तु संनिधिम्
tatratatra caturvaktrā brahmāṇo harayo bhavāḥ sṛṣṭāḥ pradhānena tadā labdhvā śambhostu saṃnidhim
In each of them four-faced Brahmās, Haris and Bhavas were then created by pradhāna, having obtained the presence of Śambhu.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
LiP 3.35
लयश्चैव तथान्योन्यम् आन्द्यन्तम् इति कीर्तितम् सर्गस्य प्रतिसर्गस्य स्थितेः कर्ता महेश्वरः
layaścaiva tathānyonyam āndyantam iti kīrtitam sargasya pratisargasya sthiteḥ kartā maheśvaraḥ
And dissolution likewise, mutually, is declared to be 'from beginning to end'; Maheśvara is the maker of creation, of re-creation, and of maintenance.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
LiP 3.36
सर्गे च रजसा युक्तः सत्त्वस्थः प्रतिपालने प्रतिसर्गे तमोद्रिक्तः स एव त्रिविधः क्रमात्
sarge ca rajasā yuktaḥ sattvasthaḥ pratipālane pratisarge tamodriktaḥ sa eva trividhaḥ kramāt
In creation he is joined with rajas, in preservation he abides in sattva, in re-creation (dissolution) tamas predominates in him; he alone is threefold in succession.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
LiP 3.37
आदिकर्ता च भूतानां संहर्ता परिपालकः तस्मान्महेश्वरो देवो ब्रह्मणो ऽधिपतिः शिवः
ādikartā ca bhūtānāṃ saṃhartā paripālakaḥ tasmānmaheśvaro devo brahmaṇo 'dhipatiḥ śivaḥ
He is the first maker of beings, their destroyer and their protector; therefore the god Maheśvara, Śiva, is the overlord of Brahmā.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
LiP 3.38
सदाशिवो भवो विष्णुर् ब्रह्मा सर्वात्मको यतः एकदण्डे तथा लोका इमे कर्ता पितामहः
sadāśivo bhavo viṣṇur brahmā sarvātmako yataḥ ekadaṇḍe tathā lokā ime kartā pitāmahaḥ
Since Sadāśiva, Bhava, Viṣṇu and Brahmā are of the nature of all, so these worlds are under one rod (of rule), and the Grandfather is the maker.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
LiP 3.39
प्राकृतः कथितस्त्वेष पुरुषाधिष्ठितो मया सर्गश् चाबुद्धिपूर्वस्तु द्विजाः प्राथमिकः शुभः
prākṛtaḥ kathitastveṣa puruṣādhiṣṭhito mayā sargaś cābuddhipūrvastu dvijāḥ prāthamikaḥ śubhaḥ
Thus this material (prākṛta) creation, presided over by the Puruṣa, has been described by me, O twice-born ones: the auspicious first creation, which is not preceded by conscious intent.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition