Shloka 24

Adhyaya 79 — Bhakti-Mahima and Linga-Archana-Vidhi

Condensed Ritual Sequence

Devanagari script

पूजयेद्यः शिवं रुद्रं शर्वं भवमजं सकृत् स याति शिवसायुज्यं पुनरावृत्तिवर्जितम्

Transliteration

pūjayedyaḥ śivaṃ rudraṃ śarvaṃ bhavamajaṃ sakṛt sa yāti śivasāyujyaṃ punarāvṛttivarjitam

Translation

مَن يعبد شِيفا—رودرا، شَرْڤا، بَهَڤا، غيرَ المولود—ولو مرةً واحدة، ينال «شِيفا-سايُوجْيا» أي الاتحاد بشِيفا، ويُعفى من الرجوع، فتَنقطع الولادةُ من جديد.

Word by Word

• pūjayet: should worship/adores

• yaḥ: whoever

• śivam: Śiva (the auspicious Lord, Pati)

• rudram: Rudra (the remover of sorrow)

• śarvam: Śarva (the all-destroyer of pāśa/bonds)

• bhavam: Bhava (the Lord as source of becoming and its transcendence)

• ajam: the Unborn (uncaused)

• sakṛt: even once

• saḥ: he

• yāti: attains/goes to

• śiva-sāyujyam: union/identity-in-proximity with Śiva (liberating communion with Pati)

• punar-āvṛtti-varjitam: devoid of return (no further saṃsāric recurrence)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya, conveying the phala-śruti of Śiva-worship)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Rudra
• Sharva
• Bhava
• Aja

FAQs

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

It declares the phala (spiritual result) of Śiva-pūjā: even a single, sincere act of worship directed to Śiva (as the supreme Pati) can culminate in śiva-sāyujya and freedom from punarāvṛtti (rebirth).

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

Śiva is presented through multiple revelatory names—Rudra, Śarva, Bhava, and Aja—indicating the one Lord who dissolves sorrow and bondage (pāśa), transcends becoming, and is unborn/uncaused, thus uniquely capable of granting mokṣa to the paśu (soul).

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The verse highlights Śiva-pūjā (including Liṅga-oriented worship by implication in the Linga Purana context) as a direct liberating sādhana; it aligns with Pāśupata intent by turning the paśu toward Pati through devotion, resulting in cessation of saṃsāra.