Shloka 32

Pārthiva-Śiva-liṅga Saṃkhyā-vidhāna

Enumeration and Procedure of Earthen Liṅga Worship

Devanagari script

न लिंगाराधनादन्यत्पुण्यं वेदचतुष्टये । विद्यते सर्वशास्त्राणामेष एव विनिश्चयः

Transliteration

na liṃgārādhanādanyatpuṇyaṃ vedacatuṣṭaye | vidyate sarvaśāstrāṇāmeṣa eva viniścayaḥ

Translation

لِمَن يبتغي تمامَ مرادِ الفيدات الأربع، لا توجد فضيلةٌ أسمى من عبادةِ لِينغا شِيفا. وهذا هو الحكمُ القاطعُ الذي استقرّت عليه جميعُ الشاسترات.

Word by Word

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negative particle)

• liṅga-ārādhanāt: than worship of the liṅga
• liṅga-ārādhanāt: Apadana (अपादानम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: liṅga (प्रातिपदिक) + ārādhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी/अपादान (5th case), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (liṅgasya ārādhanam)

• anyat: other
• anyat: Visheshana (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• puṇyam: merit
• puṇyam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puṇya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• veda-catuṣṭaye: for the four Vedas
• veda-catuṣṭaye: Sampradana (सम्प्रदानम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: veda (प्रातिपदिक) + catuṣṭaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी/सम्प्रदान (4th case), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (vedānāṃ catuṣṭayam)

• vidyate: exists/is found
• vidyate: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vid (विद्) (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्

• sarva-śāstrāṇām: of all scriptures
• sarva-śāstrāṇām: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + śāstra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी/सम्बन्ध (6th case), बहुवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (sarvāṇi śāstrāṇi)

• eṣaḥ: this
• eṣaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• eva: indeed/only
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• viniścayaḥ: conclusion/decision
• viniścayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viniścaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Viśvanātha

Sthala Purana: Viśveśvara/Viśvanātha (Kāśī) is upheld in Purāṇic tradition as the supreme kṣetra where liṅga-upāsanā grants both bhukti and mukti; this verse’s ‘sarvaśāstra-viniścaya’ aligns with Kāśī’s liṅga-mahātmyas.

Significance: Liṅga-ārādhana is declared the highest puṇya; in Kāśī tradition, it is especially linked with liberation-bestowing grace (mukti) through Śiva’s anugraha.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Ritual Elements

Offering: dhupa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Vedas

FAQs

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

It declares that Liṅga-worship is the highest puṇya because it directly orients the soul (paśu) toward Pati (Śiva), aligning devotion and right knowledge as affirmed by all Śāstras.

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

The Liṅga is the accessible sacred form through which devotees worship Saguna Śiva while contemplating His transcendence; thus Liṅga-ārādhana becomes the scripturally endorsed, complete path of Śiva-bhakti.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Regular Liṅga-pūjā—offering water, bilva leaves, and mantra-japa (especially the Pañcākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”)—as a focused daily practice for merit and spiritual elevation.