Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 69

लिङ्गपूजनसंक्षेपः

Concise Teaching on Liṅga Worship / Śiva-arcana-vidhi

Devanagari script

आदिमध्यान्तरहितं भेषजं सर्वरोगिणाम् । शिवतत्त्वमिति ख्यातं शिवलिंगं व्यवस्थितम्

Transliteration

ādimadhyāntarahitaṃ bheṣajaṃ sarvarogiṇām | śivatattvamiti khyātaṃ śivaliṃgaṃ vyavasthitam

Translation

يُثبَّت شيفا-لينغا على أنه ما لا بداية له ولا وسط ولا نهاية؛ وهو الدواء الشافي لكل من ابتُلِي بالأسقام. وهو مشهور بأنه تَتْفَا شيفا، أي مبدأ شيفا وحقيقته.

Word by Word

• आदि-मध्य-अन्तर-हितम्: devoid of beginning, middle, and end
• आदि-मध्य-अन्तर-हितम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आदि (प्रातिपदिक) + मध्य (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्तर (प्रातिपदिक) + हित (प्रातिपदिक; √धा/√हि? ‘placed’ अर्थे; यहाँ ‘युक्त/युक्तम्’ भावे)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः द्वन्द्व (आदि+मध्य+अन्तर) ततः नञ्-तत्पुरुषार्थे ‘रहित’ भावः (आदि-मध्य-अन्तर-रहितम् = without beginning, middle, and interior/end); विशेषणम् (भेषजम्/शिवतत्त्वम्)

• भेषजम्: medicine, remedy
• भेषजम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भेषज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सर्व-रोगिणाम्: of all the diseased
• सर्व-रोगिणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + रोगिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः कर्मधारयः (सर्वे रोगिणः) ततः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः

• शिव-तत्त्वम्: the principle/reality of Śiva
• शिव-तत्त्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + तत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (शिवस्य तत्त्वम्)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उद्धरण-चिह्न (quotative)

• ख्यातम्: is known as
• ख्यातम्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ख्या (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (Past Passive Participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘is known/called’

• शिव-लिङ्गम्: the Śiva-liṅga
• शिव-लिङ्गम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (शिवस्य लिङ्गम्)

• व्यवस्थितम्: well-established, set in place
• व्यवस्थितम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि+अव+स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (Past Passive Participle) ‘well-established’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (शिवलिङ्गम्)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Liṅgodbhava

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: The verse presents the liṅga as beginningless and endless (ādi-madhya-anta-rahita), echoing the Liṅgodbhava motif where the infinite pillar signifies Śiva beyond Brahmā and Viṣṇu; here generalized as the metaphysical Śiva-liṅga rather than a single shrine.

Significance: Darśana and worship of the liṅga is framed as ‘bheṣaja’—a salvific remedy removing the soul’s afflictions (mala) through Śiva’s grace.

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Implicit eternity beyond kalpa cycles (beginning–middle–end negated).

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Shiva Linga

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in the Shiva Purana?

This verse presents the Śiva-liṅga as the timeless reality of Śiva—beyond beginning, middle, and end—and as a spiritual ‘medicine’ that cures the deepest affliction: bondage and ignorance, leading the soul toward liberation.

How does this verse relate to the worship of the Linga or Saguna Shiva?

Although Śiva is beyond time and limits, the liṅga is established as the accessible form through which devotees approach and realize Śiva-tattva; it bridges nirguṇa truth and saguna worship by giving a sanctified focus for devotion and contemplation.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Regular liṅga-pūjā with focused japa (especially the Pañcākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and meditative contemplation on Śiva as beginningless and endless is implied as the ‘remedy’ for inner afflictions.