Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 29
सेवातत्त्वप्रश्नः — The Question of Whom to Serve (Sevā) for the Removal of Suffering
ब्रह्मोवाच । लिंगानि कल्पयित्वेवमधिकारानुरूपतः । विश्वकर्मा ददौ तेभ्यो नियोगान्मम वा हरेः
brahmovāca | liṃgāni kalpayitvevamadhikārānurūpataḥ | viśvakarmā dadau tebhyo niyogānmama vā hareḥ
Brahmā sprach: „So also: Nachdem Viśvakarmā die Liṅgas gemäß der rechtmäßigen Eignung und Befugnis eines jeden gestaltet hatte, wies er ihnen ihre jeweiligen Pflichten zu—auf meinen Befehl oder auf den Befehl Haris (Viṣṇu).“
Brahma
Tattva Level: pasha
Shiva Form: Īśāna
Sthala Purana: Liṅgas are fashioned and then allotted according to adhikāra (qualification/office). This mirrors how specific kṣetra-liṅgas become linked with particular deities, functions, and vows, creating an ordered sacred geography.
Significance: Emphasizes dharmic order: worship and responsibility are assigned in proportion to capacity; proper adhikāra safeguards efficacy of worship and governance.
Role: teaching
FAQs
It affirms that Śiva’s liṅga-worship is not random but established through divine order and proper adhikāra (eligibility). In Shaiva Siddhānta terms, disciplined worship of the Saguna symbol (liṅga) becomes a means for the pashu (bound soul) to approach Pati (Śiva) under scriptural and divine governance.
The verse explicitly speaks of “liṅgas being fashioned” and duties being assigned, indicating institutionalized liṅga-upāsanā. The liṅga functions as a sacred, accessible form for devotion and ritual, through which devotees engage Śiva with reverence, purity, and authorized practice.
The takeaway is to follow qualified, scripture-aligned liṅga worship—installation/maintenance under proper guidance, with regular pūjā and mantra-japa (especially the Panchākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) according to one’s adhikāra.