Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 3

लिङ्गप्रतिष्ठा-माहात्म्यम् / The Greatness of Liṅga Installation

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मणा विष्णुना वापि रुद्रेणान्येन केन वा । लिंगप्रतिष्ठामुत्सृज्य क्रियते स्वपदस्थितिः

Transliteration

brahmaṇā viṣṇunā vāpi rudreṇānyena kena vā | liṃgapratiṣṭhāmutsṛjya kriyate svapadasthitiḥ

Translation

Ob durch Brahmā, durch Viṣṇu, durch Rudra oder durch irgendwen sonst: Ohne die Einsetzung (pratiṣṭhā) des Śiva-Liṅga wird die feste Verankerung im eigenen wahren Zustand, der höchsten Stätte, nicht vollbracht.

Word by Word

• brahmaṇā: by Brahmā
• brahmaṇā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular

• viṣṇunā: by Viṣṇu
• viṣṇunā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular

• vā: or
• vā: Vikalpa (विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: Disjunctive particle (विकल्प)

• api: also/even
• api: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (सम्भावना/समुच्चय) = 'also/even'

• rudreṇa: by Rudra
• rudreṇa: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rudra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular

• anyena: by another
• anyena: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular; used substantively 'by another'

• kena: by whom
• kena: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular; interrogative 'by whom'

• vā: or
• vā: Vikalpa (विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: Disjunctive particle (विकल्प)

• liṅga-pratiṣṭhām: the installation of the liṅga
• liṅga-pratiṣṭhām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: liṅga + pratiṣṭhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; tatpuruṣa: liṅgasya pratiṣṭhā = 'installation of the liṅga'

• utsṛjya: having abandoned
• utsṛjya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ud-√sṛj (धातु) + lyap (कृत्)
• Form: Absolutive/gerund (ल्यप्), 'having abandoned/omitted'

• kriyate: is done/is made
• kriyate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), Passive voice (कर्मणि), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular

• sva-pada-sthitiḥ: abiding in one’s own position
• sva-pada-sthitiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva + pada + sthiti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; tatpuruṣa: svasya padaṃ = 'one’s own position' + sthiti = 'state/abiding'

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: The verse states a general siddhānta: without liṅga-pratiṣṭhā (installation/consecration of Śiva’s emblem), ‘svapada-sthiti’ (abidance in one’s true/supreme state) is not accomplished—implying liṅga as the normative locus of Śiva’s anugraha in the world.

Significance: Affirms liṅga-pratiṣṭhā as a primary means for the bound soul (paśu) to access Śiva’s grace through worship, leading toward steadiness in one’s own highest station.

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Vishnu
• Rudra
• Shiva

FAQs

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

It asserts a Shaiva Siddhanta priority: abiding in the highest state (svapada-sthiti) is fulfilled through Śiva-centered upāsanā, specifically the consecrated Liṅga as the sacred locus where devotion, right action, and grace converge.

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

The Liṅga is presented as the definitive Saguna support for approaching the transcendent (Nirguna) Śiva; even exalted deities are named to show that spiritual accomplishment is grounded in Śiva’s worship through the Liṅga, not merely in status or power.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Prioritize Liṅga-pratiṣṭhā (or worship of a duly established Liṅga), then perform regular abhiṣeka, offer bilva leaves, and maintain japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) as a steady daily discipline aimed at inner abiding.