Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 37

रुद्र-विष्णोः ऐकत्व-उपदेशः तथा धर्म-आज्ञा

Instruction on Rudra–Viṣṇu Unity and Divine Injunctions

Devanagari script

तदा प्रकृति लोकेऽस्मिंल्लिंगपूजाविधिः स्मृतः । लिंगे प्रतिष्ठितश्शंभुर्भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदायकः

Transliteration

tadā prakṛti loke'smiṃlliṃgapūjāvidhiḥ smṛtaḥ | liṃge pratiṣṭhitaśśaṃbhurbhuktimuktipradāyakaḥ

Translation

Da wurde in dieser manifesten Welt der Prakṛti die vorgeschriebene Weise der Liṅga-Verehrung festgesetzt. Śambhu, im Liṅga geweiht und darin wohnend, verleiht sowohl bhukti (weltliche Erfüllung) als auch mukti (Befreiung).

Word by Word

• tadā: then
• tadā: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, कालवाचक (temporal adverb)

• prakṛti: Prakṛti (Nature)
• prakṛti: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prakṛti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्तृ/विषय-निर्देश (topic/subject)

• loke: in the world
• loke: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• asmin: in this
• asmin: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• liṅga-pūjā-vidhiḥ: the rite/procedure of liṅga-worship
• liṅga-pūjā-vidhiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: liṅga (प्रातिपदिक) + pūjā (प्रातिपदिक) + vidhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (लिङ्गस्य पूजायाः विधिः / लिङ्गपूजाविधिः)

• smṛtaḥ: is declared/remembered
• smṛtaḥ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √smṛ (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि-भावः (is said/remembered)

• liṅge: in the liṅga
• liṅge: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: liṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• pratiṣṭhitaḥ: installed/established
• pratiṣṭhitaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prati√sthā (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (established/installed)

• śambhuḥ: Śambhu (Śiva)
• śambhuḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śambhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• bhukti-mukti-pradāyakaḥ: giver of enjoyment and liberation
• bhukti-mukti-pradāyakaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhukti (प्रातिपदिक) + mukti (प्रातिपदिक) + pradāyaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; द्वन्द्वपूर्वपद-तत्पुरुषः (भुक्तिं च मुक्तिं च प्रददाति इति)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Liṅgodbhava

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: This verse generalizes the post-theophany institution of liṅga-pūjā in the prakṛti-world: Śiva remains ‘pratiṣṭhita’ in the liṅga as an accessible locus of grace, granting bhukti and mukti.

Significance: Affirms liṅga worship as a universal means to both worldly well-being and liberation through Śiva’s abiding presence.

Mantra Metadata

Type: panchakshara

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It declares Liṅga-pūjā as an authoritative, tradition-sanctioned path in the manifested world, where Śiva is accessible in a consecrated form and grants both dharmic prosperity (bhukti) and final release (mukti).

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

The verse emphasizes Śiva’s gracious presence as ‘pratiṣṭhita’ in the Liṅga—Saguna worship that supports devotees in worldly duties while steadily leading them toward liberation.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform regular Liṅga-pūjā according to vidhi—offering with devotion and purity, and sustaining remembrance of Śambhu (japa/dhyāna), especially in observances like Mahāśivarātri.