Obeisance to the Supreme Soul, Rudra, Viṣṇu and Brahmā,[1] the lord of Pradhāna and Puruṣa[2] and the cause of creation, sustenance and dissolution.

The sage Nārada[3] went to Naimiṣa[4] after worshipping Śiva, in all the holy centres,[5] viz. Śaileśa, Saṅgameśvara, Hiraṇyagarbha, Svarlīna, Avimukta, Mahālaya, Raudra, Goprekṣaka, the excellent Pāśupata, Vighneśvara, Kedāra, Gomāyukeśvara, Hiraṇyagarbha, Candreśa, Īśānya, Triviṣṭapa and Śukreśvara.

The sage Nārada[3] went to Naimiṣa[4] after worshipping Śiva, in all the holy centres,[5] viz. Śaileśa, Saṅgameśvara, Hiraṇyagarbha, Svarlīna, Avimukta, Mahālaya, Raudra, Goprekṣaka, the excellent Pāśupata, Vighneśvara, Kedāra, Gomāyukeśvara, Hiraṇyagarbha, Candreśa, Īśānya, Triviṣṭapa and Śukreśvara.

The sage Nārada[3] went to Naimiṣa[4] after worshipping Śiva, in all the holy centres,[5] viz. Śaileśa, Saṅgameśvara, Hiraṇyagarbha, Svarlīna, Avimukta, Mahālaya, Raudra, Goprekṣaka, the excellent Pāśupata, Vighneśvara, Kedāra, Gomāyukeśvara, Hiraṇyagarbha, Candreśa, Īśānya, Triviṣṭapa and Śukreśvara.

On seeing Nārada, the residents of Naimiṣa were delighted in their minds. After honouring him they offered him a befitting seat.

He too being pleased accepted the seat offered by the excellent sages. Seating himself comfortably on the excellent seat and duly worshipped by the sages he discussed with them the holy narrative of the Liṅgas, the narrative consisting of wonderful anecdotes. At the very same time, the intelligent Sūta who was well-versed in the Purāṇas came to Naimiṣa for offering homage to the sages. The residents of Naimiṣa greeted him duly with holy songs and adorations, (since) he was the disciple of Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana.[6] On seeing the truly trustworthy and scholarly Sūta Romaharṣaṇa[7] there arose in them the desire to hear the Purāṇa. They, thereafter, asked him about the meritorious Purāṇa that contained the glory and greatness of the Liṅgas.

He too being pleased accepted the seat offered by the excellent sages. Seating himself comfortably on the excellent seat and duly worshipped by the sages he discussed with them the holy narrative of the Liṅgas, the narrative consisting of wonderful anecdotes. At the very same time, the intelligent Sūta who was well-versed in the Purāṇas came to Naimiṣa for offering homage to the sages. The residents of Naimiṣa greeted him duly with holy songs and adorations, (since) he was the disciple of Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana.[6] On seeing the truly trustworthy and scholarly Sūta Romaharṣaṇa[7] there arose in them the desire to hear the Purāṇa. They, thereafter, asked him about the meritorious Purāṇa that contained the glory and greatness of the Liṅgas.

He too being pleased accepted the seat offered by the excellent sages. Seating himself comfortably on the excellent seat and duly worshipped by the sages he discussed with them the holy narrative of the Liṅgas, the narrative consisting of wonderful anecdotes. At the very same time, the intelligent Sūta who was well-versed in the Purāṇas came to Naimiṣa for offering homage to the sages. The residents of Naimiṣa greeted him duly with holy songs and adorations, (since) he was the disciple of Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana.[6] On seeing the truly trustworthy and scholarly Sūta Romaharṣaṇa[7] there arose in them the desire to hear the Purāṇa. They, thereafter, asked him about the meritorious Purāṇa that contained the glory and greatness of the Liṅgas.

He too being pleased accepted the seat offered by the excellent sages. Seating himself comfortably on the excellent seat and duly worshipped by the sages he discussed with them the holy narrative of the Liṅgas, the narrative consisting of wonderful anecdotes. At the very same time, the intelligent Sūta who was well-versed in the Purāṇas came to Naimiṣa for offering homage to the sages. The residents of Naimiṣa greeted him duly with holy songs and adorations, (since) he was the disciple of Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana.[6] On seeing the truly trustworthy and scholarly Sūta Romaharṣaṇa[7] there arose in them the desire to hear the Purāṇa. They, thereafter, asked him about the meritorious Purāṇa that contained the glory and greatness of the Liṅgas.

He too being pleased accepted the seat offered by the excellent sages. Seating himself comfortably on the excellent seat and duly worshipped by the sages he discussed with them the holy narrative of the Liṅgas, the narrative consisting of wonderful anecdotes. At the very same time, the intelligent Sūta who was well-versed in the Purāṇas came to Naimiṣa for offering homage to the sages. The residents of Naimiṣa greeted him duly with holy songs and adorations, (since) he was the disciple of Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana.[6] On seeing the truly trustworthy and scholarly Sūta Romaharṣaṇa[7] there arose in them the desire to hear the Purāṇa. They, thereafter, asked him about the meritorious Purāṇa that contained the glory and greatness of the Liṅgas.

He too being pleased accepted the seat offered by the excellent sages. Seating himself comfortably on the excellent seat and duly worshipped by the sages he discussed with them the holy narrative of the Liṅgas, the narrative consisting of wonderful anecdotes. At the very same time, the intelligent Sūta who was well-versed in the Purāṇas came to Naimiṣa for offering homage to the sages. The residents of Naimiṣa greeted him duly with holy songs and adorations, (since) he was the disciple of Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana.[6] On seeing the truly trustworthy and scholarly Sūta Romaharṣaṇa[7] there arose in them the desire to hear the Purāṇa. They, thereafter, asked him about the meritorious Purāṇa that contained the glory and greatness of the Liṅgas.

He too being pleased accepted the seat offered by the excellent sages. Seating himself comfortably on the excellent seat and duly worshipped by the sages he discussed with them the holy narrative of the Liṅgas, the narrative consisting of wonderful anecdotes. At the very same time, the intelligent Sūta who was well-versed in the Purāṇas came to Naimiṣa for offering homage to the sages. The residents of Naimiṣa greeted him duly with holy songs and adorations, (since) he was the disciple of Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana.[6] On seeing the truly trustworthy and scholarly Sūta Romaharṣaṇa[7] there arose in them the desire to hear the Purāṇa. They, thereafter, asked him about the meritorious Purāṇa that contained the glory and greatness of the Liṅgas.

He too being pleased accepted the seat offered by the excellent sages. Seating himself comfortably on the excellent seat and duly worshipped by the sages he discussed with them the holy narrative of the Liṅgas, the narrative consisting of wonderful anecdotes. At the very same time, the intelligent Sūta who was well-versed in the Purāṇas came to Naimiṣa for offering homage to the sages. The residents of Naimiṣa greeted him duly with holy songs and adorations, (since) he was the disciple of Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana.[6] On seeing the truly trustworthy and scholarly Sūta Romaharṣaṇa[7] there arose in them the desire to hear the Purāṇa. They, thereafter, asked him about the meritorious Purāṇa that contained the glory and greatness of the Liṅgas.

He too being pleased accepted the seat offered by the excellent sages. Seating himself comfortably on the excellent seat and duly worshipped by the sages he discussed with them the holy narrative of the Liṅgas, the narrative consisting of wonderful anecdotes. At the very same time, the intelligent Sūta who was well-versed in the Purāṇas came to Naimiṣa for offering homage to the sages. The residents of Naimiṣa greeted him duly with holy songs and adorations, (since) he was the disciple of Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana.[6] On seeing the truly trustworthy and scholarly Sūta Romaharṣaṇa[7] there arose in them the desire to hear the Purāṇa. They, thereafter, asked him about the meritorious Purāṇa that contained the glory and greatness of the Liṅgas.

He too being pleased accepted the seat offered by the excellent sages. Seating himself comfortably on the excellent seat and duly worshipped by the sages he discussed with them the holy narrative of the Liṅgas, the narrative consisting of wonderful anecdotes. At the very same time, the intelligent Sūta who was well-versed in the Purāṇas came to Naimiṣa for offering homage to the sages. The residents of Naimiṣa greeted him duly with holy songs and adorations, (since) he was the disciple of Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana.[6] On seeing the truly trustworthy and scholarly Sūta Romaharṣaṇa[7] there arose in them the desire to hear the Purāṇa. They, thereafter, asked him about the meritorious Purāṇa that contained the glory and greatness of the Liṅgas.

He too being pleased accepted the seat offered by the excellent sages. Seating himself comfortably on the excellent seat and duly worshipped by the sages he discussed with them the holy narrative of the Liṅgas, the narrative consisting of wonderful anecdotes. At the very same time, the intelligent Sūta who was well-versed in the Purāṇas came to Naimiṣa for offering homage to the sages. The residents of Naimiṣa greeted him duly with holy songs and adorations, (since) he was the disciple of Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana.[6] On seeing the truly trustworthy and scholarly Sūta Romaharṣaṇa[7] there arose in them the desire to hear the Purāṇa. They, thereafter, asked him about the meritorious Purāṇa that contained the glory and greatness of the Liṅgas.

He too being pleased accepted the seat offered by the excellent sages. Seating himself comfortably on the excellent seat and duly worshipped by the sages he discussed with them the holy narrative of the Liṅgas, the narrative consisting of wonderful anecdotes. At the very same time, the intelligent Sūta who was well-versed in the Purāṇas came to Naimiṣa for offering homage to the sages. The residents of Naimiṣa greeted him duly with holy songs and adorations, (since) he was the disciple of Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana.[6] On seeing the truly trustworthy and scholarly Sūta Romaharṣaṇa[7] there arose in them the desire to hear the Purāṇa. They, thereafter, asked him about the meritorious Purāṇa that contained the glory and greatness of the Liṅgas.

Sūta said:: After bowing to Śiva, Brahmā and Viṣṇu, I remember the leading sage Vyāsa in order to recount the Liṅga Purāṇa.

Sūta said:: I bow down to the supreme lord whose body is Śabda-Brahman, who is the revealer of the Śabda-Brahman, whose limbs are the letters whose characteristics are unmanifest, but who manifests himself in diverse ways, who is constituted by the letters a, u, m. who is gross as well as subtle, who is greater than the greatest, who has the form of Om, whose face is the Ṛgveda, tongue the Sāmaveda, throat the Yajurveda, and heart the Atharvaveda, who is the lord beyond Pradhāna and Puruṣa, who is devoid of birth and death and who is called Kālarudra when he assumes tamoguṇa and Brahmā when he assumes rajoguṇa and the all-pervading Viṣṇu when he assumes sattvaguṇa, who is Maheśvara when devoid of all the guṇas[9], who manifests first in seven.[10] forms by enveloping the body of Pradhāna, then in sixteen[11] forms, and finally in twenty-six[12] forms, who is the source of origin of Brahmā, and who assumes the form of the Liṅga merely for the sport of creation, sustenance and annihilation (of the universe). After bowing down faithfully to that supreme lord, I begin recounting the auspicious narrative of the Liṅgapurāṇa.

Sūta said:: I bow down to the supreme lord whose body is Śabda-Brahman, who is the revealer of the Śabda-Brahman, whose limbs are the letters whose characteristics are unmanifest, but who manifests himself in diverse ways, who is constituted by the letters a, u, m. who is gross as well as subtle, who is greater than the greatest, who has the form of Om, whose face is the Ṛgveda, tongue the Sāmaveda, throat the Yajurveda, and heart the Atharvaveda, who is the lord beyond Pradhāna and Puruṣa, who is devoid of birth and death and who is called Kālarudra when he assumes tamoguṇa and Brahmā when he assumes rajoguṇa and the all-pervading Viṣṇu when he assumes sattvaguṇa, who is Maheśvara when devoid of all the guṇas[9], who manifests first in seven.[10] forms by enveloping the body of Pradhāna, then in sixteen[11] forms, and finally in twenty-six[12] forms, who is the source of origin of Brahmā, and who assumes the form of the Liṅga merely for the sport of creation, sustenance and annihilation (of the universe). After bowing down faithfully to that supreme lord, I begin recounting the auspicious narrative of the Liṅgapurāṇa.

Sūta said:: I bow down to the supreme lord whose body is Śabda-Brahman, who is the revealer of the Śabda-Brahman, whose limbs are the letters whose characteristics are unmanifest, but who manifests himself in diverse ways, who is constituted by the letters a, u, m. who is gross as well as subtle, who is greater than the greatest, who has the form of Om, whose face is the Ṛgveda, tongue the Sāmaveda, throat the Yajurveda, and heart the Atharvaveda, who is the lord beyond Pradhāna and Puruṣa, who is devoid of birth and death and who is called Kālarudra when he assumes tamoguṇa and Brahmā when he assumes rajoguṇa and the all-pervading Viṣṇu when he assumes sattvaguṇa, who is Maheśvara when devoid of all the guṇas[9], who manifests first in seven.[10] forms by enveloping the body of Pradhāna, then in sixteen[11] forms, and finally in twenty-six[12] forms, who is the source of origin of Brahmā, and who assumes the form of the Liṅga merely for the sport of creation, sustenance and annihilation (of the universe). After bowing down faithfully to that supreme lord, I begin recounting the auspicious narrative of the Liṅgapurāṇa.

Sūta said:: I bow down to the supreme lord whose body is Śabda-Brahman, who is the revealer of the Śabda-Brahman, whose limbs are the letters whose characteristics are unmanifest, but who manifests himself in diverse ways, who is constituted by the letters a, u, m. who is gross as well as subtle, who is greater than the greatest, who has the form of Om, whose face is the Ṛgveda, tongue the Sāmaveda, throat the Yajurveda, and heart the Atharvaveda, who is the lord beyond Pradhāna and Puruṣa, who is devoid of birth and death and who is called Kālarudra when he assumes tamoguṇa and Brahmā when he assumes rajoguṇa and the all-pervading Viṣṇu when he assumes sattvaguṇa, who is Maheśvara when devoid of all the guṇas[9], who manifests first in seven.[10] forms by enveloping the body of Pradhāna, then in sixteen[11] forms, and finally in twenty-six[12] forms, who is the source of origin of Brahmā, and who assumes the form of the Liṅga merely for the sport of creation, sustenance and annihilation (of the universe). After bowing down faithfully to that supreme lord, I begin recounting the auspicious narrative of the Liṅgapurāṇa.

Sūta said:: I bow down to the supreme lord whose body is Śabda-Brahman, who is the revealer of the Śabda-Brahman, whose limbs are the letters whose characteristics are unmanifest, but who manifests himself in diverse ways, who is constituted by the letters a, u, m. who is gross as well as subtle, who is greater than the greatest, who has the form of Om, whose face is the Ṛgveda, tongue the Sāmaveda, throat the Yajurveda, and heart the Atharvaveda, who is the lord beyond Pradhāna and Puruṣa, who is devoid of birth and death and who is called Kālarudra when he assumes tamoguṇa and Brahmā when he assumes rajoguṇa and the all-pervading Viṣṇu when he assumes sattvaguṇa, who is Maheśvara when devoid of all the guṇas[9], who manifests first in seven.[10] forms by enveloping the body of Pradhāna, then in sixteen[11] forms, and finally in twenty-six[12] forms, who is the source of origin of Brahmā, and who assumes the form of the Liṅga merely for the sport of creation, sustenance and annihilation (of the universe). After bowing down faithfully to that supreme lord, I begin recounting the auspicious narrative of the Liṅgapurāṇa.

Sūta said:: I bow down to the supreme lord whose body is Śabda-Brahman, who is the revealer of the Śabda-Brahman, whose limbs are the letters whose characteristics are unmanifest, but who manifests himself in diverse ways, who is constituted by the letters a, u, m. who is gross as well as subtle, who is greater than the greatest, who has the form of Om, whose face is the Ṛgveda, tongue the Sāmaveda, throat the Yajurveda, and heart the Atharvaveda, who is the lord beyond Pradhāna and Puruṣa, who is devoid of birth and death and who is called Kālarudra when he assumes tamoguṇa and Brahmā when he assumes rajoguṇa and the all-pervading Viṣṇu when he assumes sattvaguṇa, who is Maheśvara when devoid of all the guṇas[9], who manifests first in seven.[10] forms by enveloping the body of Pradhāna, then in sixteen[11] forms, and finally in twenty-six[12] forms, who is the source of origin of Brahmā, and who assumes the form of the Liṅga merely for the sport of creation, sustenance and annihilation (of the universe). After bowing down faithfully to that supreme lord, I begin recounting the auspicious narrative of the Liṅgapurāṇa.