Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 9

केवलामुष्मिकविधिः — The Rite for Exclusive Otherworldly Attainment

Liṅga-Abhiṣeka and Padma-Pūjā Protocol

Devanagari script

विभवे सति हेमाद्यै रत्नाद्यैर्वा स्वशक्तितः । मध्ये केसरजालास्य स्थाप्य लिंगं कनीयसम्

Transliteration

vibhave sati hemādyai ratnādyairvā svaśaktitaḥ | madhye kesarajālāsya sthāpya liṃgaṃ kanīyasam

Translation

Wenn man über Mittel verfügt, dann soll man—nach eigener Kraft—mit Gold und dergleichen oder mit Edelsteinen und dergleichen in der Mitte (dieser lotosgleichen Anordnung), inmitten ihres Fadengeflechts, einen kleineren Śiva-Liṅga einsetzen.

Word by Word

• vibhave: in (the presence of) wealth/means
• vibhave: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vibhava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• sati: when (it) exists/being present
• sati: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: as (अस् धातु) + śatṛ (शतृ)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (Present participle), सप्तमी-एकवचन (Locative singular), पुं/नपुंसक-सामान्य (agreeing with vibhave); सति-सप्तमी (locative absolute)

• hema-ādyaiḥ: with gold and the like
• hema-ādyaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hema (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural); समासः—आदि-तत्पुरुष ("gold etc.")

• ratna-ādyaiḥ: with gems and the like
• ratna-ādyaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ratna (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural); समासः—आदि-तत्पुरुष ("gems etc.")

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (disjunctive particle: "or")

• sva-śaktitaḥ: according to one’s own capacity
• sva-śaktitaḥ: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक) + śakti (प्रातिपदिक) + tas (तस्)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb: "from/according to"), समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष ("one's own power")

• madhye: in the middle
• madhye: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: madhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• kesara-jālasya: of the filament-net (of the lotus-like base)
• kesara-jālasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kesara (प्रातिपदिक) + jāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष ("of a net/cluster of filaments")

• sthāpya: having placed
• sthāpya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sthā (स्था धातु) + ल्यप् (ल्यप्)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यबन्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive), "having placed/after placing"

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

• kanīyasam: smaller
• kanīyasam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kanīyas (प्रातिपदिक; comparative)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषणम् (qualifies liṅgam)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: General instruction for installing a small liṅga within a lotus-seat arrangement; not a Jyotirliṅga origin. The emphasis is on accessible worship—precious materials if possible, otherwise according to capacity.

Significance: Teaches that bhakti and correct vidhi, not opulence alone, are primary; wealth can be offered as upacāra but grace is capacity-based (svaśakti).

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse emphasizes capacity-based devotion: offerings and installations should be done according to one’s means, while keeping the focus on Śiva as Pati (the Lord) approached through the saguna support of the Liṅga.

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

It gives a concrete instruction for Liṅga-pratiṣṭhā (installation), indicating that the Liṅga serves as an accessible sacred support for worship, through which the devotee reveres Śiva’s presence and grace.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to install a suitably sized Liṅga and worship it with orderly sacred arrangement; this can be paired with japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) during daily pūjā, especially on Mahāśivarātri.