Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 10

लिङ्गप्रतिष्ठा-माहात्म्यम् / The Greatness of Liṅga Installation

Devanagari script

भूतानि चेन्द्रियैर्जाता लीयन्ते ऽत्र शिवाज्ञया । अत एव शिवो लिंगो लिंगमाज्ञापयेद्यतः

Transliteration

bhūtāni cendriyairjātā līyante 'tra śivājñayā | ata eva śivo liṃgo liṃgamājñāpayedyataḥ

Translation

Die Wesen, samt den Sinnen, aus denen sie hervorgehen, lösen sich hier auf durch Śivas Gebot. Darum heißt Śiva Liṅga—weil durch seine souveräne Anordnung die ganze Welt gekennzeichnet und gelenkt wird.

Word by Word

• भूतानि: beings, elements
• भूतानि: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

• इन्द्रियैः: by/through the sense faculties
• इन्द्रियैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; करण (instrumental)

• जाताः: born, produced
• जाताः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa / Bhāva (भाव)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; agrees with भूतानि in sense (PPA used predicatively)

• लीयन्ते: dissolve, merge
• लीयन्ते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ली (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present/लट्), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन

• अत्र: here, in this (context)
• अत्र: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (locative adverb)

• शिवाज्ञया: by Śiva’s command
• शिवाज्ञया: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव-आज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक; components: शिव + आज्ञा)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; करण (instrumental) ‘by Śiva’s command’

• अतः: therefore
• अतः: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थक (therefore/from this)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण

• शिवः: Śiva
• शिवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• लिङ्गः: liṅga (sign/emblem)
• लिङ्गः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• लिङ्गम्: the liṅga
• लिङ्गम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• आज्ञापयेत्: should command / would command
• आज्ञापयेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-ज्ञा + णिच् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative/विधिलिङ्), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; causative (णिच्) of √ज्ञा/आज्ञा ‘to command’

• यतः: since, because
• यतः: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थक/यत्-तत् सम्बन्ध (relative causal adverb) ‘since/because’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: laya (reabsorption) of bhūtas and indriyas under Śiva’s ājñā

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Linga

FAQs

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

It teaches Śiva as Pati (the Lord) whose ājñā alone governs both manifestation and dissolution—showing that liberation is attained not by the senses, but by surrender to and realization of Śiva’s supreme ordinance.

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

The Liṅga is presented as Śiva’s authoritative ‘sign’—a sacred form through which devotees contemplate His lordship over the senses and the elements, moving from external worship (saguṇa upāsanā) toward inner dissolution of ego and bondage.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on the Liṅga as the seat of Śiva’s ājñā while repeating the Pañcākṣarī mantra (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), and cultivate sense-restraint (indriya-nigraha) so the mind ‘dissolves’ into Śiva-centered awareness.