Shloka 50

Liṅga-pratiṣṭhāvidhiḥ — Installation Standards and Auspicious Parameters for Liṅga Worship

Devanagari script

एकाक्षरांस्तथा मंत्राञ्जपेदक्षरकोटितः । ततः परं जपेच्चैव सहस्रं भक्तिपूर्वकम्

Transliteration

ekākṣarāṃstathā maṃtrāñjapedakṣarakoṭitaḥ | tataḥ paraṃ japeccaiva sahasraṃ bhaktipūrvakam

Translation

ينبغي ترديدُ منتراتِ المقطع الواحد (بيجا) وسائر المنترات بعددٍ يبلغ الكوṭيّات من المقاطع، أي عدًّا هائلًا. ثم بعد ذلك، ليُؤدَّ جَپا ألفَ مرةٍ أخرى، مقرونًا بالمحبة التعبدية (بهكتي).

Word by Word

• eka-akṣarān: single-syllabled
• eka-akṣarān: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक) + akṣara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन); adjective qualifying 'mantrān' (understood)

• tathā: likewise
• tathā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण) meaning 'thus/likewise'

• mantrān: mantras
• mantrān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mantra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• japet: should chant
• japet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jap (धातु)
• Form: Optative/विधिलिङ्, Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• akṣara-koṭitaḥ: by (counting) a crore of syllables
• akṣara-koṭitaḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: akṣara (प्रातिपदिक) + koṭi (प्रातिपदिक) + tas (तसिल्)
• Form: Tasil-anta adverb (तसिलन्त अव्यय) meaning 'by/according to'; koṭi = ten million

• tataḥ: thereafter
• tataḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Ablatival adverb (अपादानार्थक अव्यय) meaning 'then/thereafter'

• param: further
• param: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Adverbial accusative (क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण द्वितीया) meaning 'further/next'

• japet: should chant
• japet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jap (धातु)
• Form: Optative/विधिलिङ्, Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• eva: indeed
• eva: Emphasis (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (अवधारण-निपात)

• sahasram: a thousand (times)
• sahasram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sahasra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• bhakti-pūrvakam: with devotion
• bhakti-pūrvakam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: bhakti (प्रातिपदिक) + pūrvaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyayībhāva used adverbially (क्रियाविशेषण); neuter accusative singular form functioning as indeclinable in sense

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Viśvanātha

Sthala Purana: Kāśī is portrayed as the archetypal Śiva-field where mantra-sādhana (including bīja and praṇava) is especially efficacious, culminating in Śiva’s salvific bestowal (anugraha).

Significance: Highlights the ‘immense-count’ (koṭi-akṣara) ideal of japa as tapas, but finally anchors attainment in bhakti (bhaktipūrvakam), aligning effort with grace.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that liberation-oriented worship of Pati (Shiva) is stabilized through sustained mantra-japa, but its true fruit arises when the practice is infused with bhakti rather than treated as mere counting.

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

In Vidyeshvara teachings, mantra-japa supports Saguna Shiva worship (often alongside Linga-puja), where repetition purifies the bound soul (paśu) and turns the mind toward Shiva’s grace (anugraha).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Regular mantra-japa—beginning with bīja/one-syllable mantras and continuing with higher-count repetitions—performed with devotion; it can be paired with Shaiva daily worship practices like Linga-puja, rudrākṣa, and bhasma where prescribed.