Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 13

लिङ्गप्रतिष्ठा-माहात्म्यम् / The Greatness of Liṅga Installation

Devanagari script

अतस्तत्र शिवः साम्बो नित्यमेव समर्चयेत् । लिंगवेदी महादेवी लिंगं साक्षान्महेश्वरः

Transliteration

atastatra śivaḥ sāmbo nityameva samarcayet | liṃgavedī mahādevī liṃgaṃ sākṣānmaheśvaraḥ

Translation

Darum soll man an jenem heiligen Ort Śiva stets zusammen mit Umā (Sāmba) verehren. Der Sockel des Liṅga ist Mahādevī selbst, und der Liṅga ist Maheśvara unmittelbar—vor den Augen offenbar.

Word by Word

• अतः: therefore
• अतः: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: 'therefore')

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb)

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

• साम्बः: (Śiva) together with Ambā (Pārvatī)
• साम्बः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स + अम्ब (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; समासः—बहुव्रीहिः (अम्बया सह वर्तते = पार्वत्याः सहितः)

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावेन क्रियाविशेषणवत्; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd) एकवचन रूपेण अव्ययप्रयोगः (adverbial accusative)

• एव: indeed, certainly
• एव: Avadharana (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक निपात (emphatic particle)

• समर्चयेत्: should worship
• समर्चयेत्: Vidhi (विधेय/आज्ञा)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• लिङ्गवेदी: the pedestal/base of the liṅga
• लिङ्गवेदी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग + वेदी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (लिङ्गस्य वेदी)

• महादेवी: the Great Goddess
• महादेवी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (महती देवी)

• लिङ्गम्: the liṅga
• लिङ्गम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; अत्र प्रथमा (सम्बोधन/वाक्यविषय)

• साक्षात्: directly, in person
• साक्षात्: Visheshana (विशेषण/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: साक्षात् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/निपात (adverb)

• महेश्वरः: Mahēśvara (the Great Lord)
• महेश्वरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (महान् ईश्वरः)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: The verse is a general siddhānta statement on liṅga-pīṭha worship: the liṅga is to be revered as Maheśvara directly, and the pīṭha/vedī as Mahādevī—applicable to any established Śiva-kṣetra rather than a single Jyotirliṅga legend.

Significance: Affirms that worship at a liṅga with its pīṭha is worship of Śiva-Śakti together, yielding completeness (pūrṇatā) in upāsanā and eligibility for grace (anugraha).

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Umā

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Mahadevi
• Uma

FAQs

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

It teaches that Liṅga-worship is not mere symbolism: the Liṅga is Śiva (Pati) directly, and the pedestal is Mahādevī (Śakti). Realization and grace arise through honoring their inseparable unity in steady, daily devotion.

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

It explicitly affirms Saguna access to Nirguna truth: the worshipper approaches the transcendent Lord through the manifest Liṅga, recognizing it as sākṣāt Maheśvara rather than a substitute or mere emblem.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Maintain nitya-pūjā (regular daily worship) of Sāmba Śiva—offering water, bilva leaves, and mantra-japa (especially the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) while contemplating the Liṅga as Śiva and the vedī as Devī.