Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 3

लिङ्ग-बेर-प्रतिष्ठाविधिः / The Procedure for Installing the Liṅga and the Bera

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Devanagari script

स्वीकृत्याथ शुभस्थानं भूपरीक्षां विधाय च । दशोपचारान्कुर्वीत लक्षणोद्धारपूर्वकान्

Transliteration

svīkṛtyātha śubhasthānaṃ bhūparīkṣāṃ vidhāya ca | daśopacārānkurvīta lakṣaṇoddhārapūrvakān

Translation

Nachdem man einen glückverheißenden Ort gewählt und den Boden ordnungsgemäß geprüft hat, soll man die zehnfachen Dienste der Verehrung vollziehen—beginnend mit der rechten Absteckung und Vorbereitung des Platzes—damit das Ritual für Herrn Śiva korrekt begründet werde.

Word by Word

• स्वीकृत्य: having accepted
• स्वीकृत्य: Kriya (क्रिया-अनुक्रम/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्वी + कृ (धातु) + क्त्वा/ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययभाव (gerund/absolutive), ‘having accepted/taken’

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तरबोधक-अव्यय (then/thereupon)

• शुभस्थानम्: an auspicious place
• शुभस्थानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुभ + स्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (शुभं स्थानम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• भूपरीक्षाम्: examination of the ground/site
• भूपरीक्षाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भू + परीक्षा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (भूमेः परीक्षा), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• विधाय: having performed
• विधाय: Kriya (क्रिया-अनुक्रम/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + धा (धातु) + क्त्वा/ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययभाव (gerund), ‘having performed/done’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• दशोपचारान्: the ten services/offerings
• दशोपचारान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दश + उपचार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास (दश उपचाराः), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• कुर्वीत: should perform
• कुर्वीत: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, तृतीया-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• लक्षणोद्धारपूर्वकान्: preceded by extracting/ascertaining the marks (lakṣaṇas)
• लक्षणोद्धारपूर्वकान्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लक्षण + उद्धार + पूर्वक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (लक्षणोद्धारः पूर्वं यस्य/येन), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; ‘दशोपचारान्’ इति विशेषण

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Establishes ritual correctness (vidhi) for Śiva-pūjā; in Siddhānta, right procedure supports purification (mala-kṣaya) and receptivity to grace (anugraha).

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that devotion must be supported by right order and purity: selecting an auspicious place and preparing it correctly makes the worship a fit vessel for Śiva’s grace, aligning the devotee’s outer action with inner reverence.

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

Linga worship is Saguna-focused practice where Śiva is approached through a consecrated form; the verse emphasizes proper site-selection and preparation so the Linga-puja is performed according to dharma and yields steady spiritual benefit.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to prepare a clean, sanctified worship-space, examine suitability of the spot, and then offer the standard ten upacāras with focused mind—ideally while maintaining japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra (Om Namaḥ Śivāya).