Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 53

शिशुकस्य शिवशास्त्रप्राप्तिः (Śiśuka’s Attainment of Śaiva Teaching and Grace)

Devanagari script

अष्टेष्टकाभिः प्रसादं कृत्वा लिंगं च मृन्मयम् । तत्रावाह्य महादेवं सांबं सगणमव्ययम्

Transliteration

aṣṭeṣṭakābhiḥ prasādaṃ kṛtvā liṃgaṃ ca mṛnmayam | tatrāvāhya mahādevaṃ sāṃbaṃ sagaṇamavyayam

Translation

Nachdem man mit acht Ziegeln eine geweihte Stätte bereitet und auch einen Liṅga aus Lehm geformt hat, soll man dort Mahādeva anrufen—Śiva, mit Umā vereint (Sāmba)—zusammen mit seinen Gaṇas, den unvergänglichen Herrn.

Word by Word

• aṣṭa-iṣṭakābhiḥ: with eight bricks
• aṣṭa-iṣṭakābhiḥ: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṣṭa (प्रातिपदिक) + iṣṭakā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; द्विगु-समास (eight bricks)

• prasādam: a platform/shrine (structure)
• prasādam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prasāda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• kṛtvā: having made
• kṛtvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having made)

• liṅgam: liṅga
• liṅgam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: liṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• mṛnmayam: made of clay
• mṛnmayam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mṛt (प्रातिपदिक) + mayaṭ (प्रत्यय; -maya)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying liṅgam)

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण; place)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (there)

• āvāhya: having invoked
• āvāhya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-vah (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having invoked/brought)

• mahādevam: Mahādeva
• mahādevam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (great + god)

• sāmbaṃ: with Umā (Ambā)
• sāmbaṃ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa (उपसर्ग/सह) + ambā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि (ambā-sahitaḥ: with Ambā/Umā) विशेषण (of mahādevam)

• sa-gaṇam: with (his) gaṇas
• sa-gaṇam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa (प्रातिपदिक; सह) + gaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि (gaṇaiḥ sahitaḥ: accompanied by attendants)

• avyayam: imperishable
• avyayam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-vyaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (of mahādevam)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Umā

Role: liberating

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati

FAQs

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

It teaches that even a simple, pure arrangement—an eight-brick altar and a clay Liṅga—can become a true seat of grace when the devotee invokes Mahādeva with devotion, affirming Śiva’s accessibility to sincere worship.

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

The clay Liṅga is a tangible support (saguṇa-upāsanā) through which the devotee performs āvāhana (invocation), approaching the transcendent, imperishable Śiva by reverently worshiping Him in a consecrated form.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It suggests Liṅga-pratiṣṭhā and āvāhana: prepare a clean shrine/altar, form a mṛnmaya (clay) Liṅga, and invoke Śiva as Sāṃba (with Umā), ideally accompanied by mantra-japa such as the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”).