Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 39

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

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Devanagari script

शक्तिं न्यसेत्तथा विद्यां विद्येशांश्च यथाक्रमम् । लिङ्गमूले शिवजलैस्ततो लिंगं निषेचयेत्

Transliteration

śaktiṃ nyasettathā vidyāṃ vidyeśāṃśca yathākramam | liṅgamūle śivajalaistato liṃgaṃ niṣecayet

Translation

Dann soll er Nyāsa der Śakti vollziehen, ebenso der Vidyā und der Vidyeśas in der rechten Reihenfolge. Danach soll er am Fuß des Liṅga mit geweihtem, Śiva dargebrachtem Wasser den Liṅga übergießen und baden.

Word by Word

• शक्तिम्: Śakti; power
• शक्तिम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• न्यसेत्: should place
• न्यसेत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni-√as (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Prakaraṇa (प्रकरण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (adverb: likewise)

• विद्याम्: vidyā; sacred knowledge/mantra
• विद्याम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vidyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• विद्येशान्: lords of vidyās (Vidyēśas)
• विद्येशान्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vidyā (प्रातिपदिक) + īśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (विद्यायाः ईशाः)

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

• यथा-क्रमम्: in proper sequence
• यथा-क्रमम्: Prakaraṇa (प्रकरण/Adverbial manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय) + krama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समासः; अव्ययार्थे (adverb) ‘in due order’

• लिङ्ग-मूले: at the base of the liṅga
• लिङ्ग-मूले: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: liṅga (प्रातिपदिक) + mūla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (लिङ्गस्य मूलम्)

• शिव-जलैः: with Śiva-water (holy water)
• शिव-जलैः: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक) + jala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (शिवस्य जलम् / शिवसम्बन्धि जलम्)

• ततः: then; thereafter
• ततः: Prakaraṇa (प्रकरण/Sequence marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त (ablatival adverb) ‘thereupon/then’

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

• निषेचयेत्: should sprinkle; should pour over
• निषेचयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni-√sic (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Umā

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Shakti
• Vidyas
• Vidyeshas
• Linga

FAQs

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

The verse teaches that outer worship (abhiṣeka to the Liṅga) becomes spiritually potent when preceded by inner alignment through nyāsa—installing Śakti and sacred Vidyā in the practitioner—so devotion and consciousness are harmonized with Pati (Śiva), the liberating Lord.

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

It presents the Liṅga as the Saguna focus through which the devotee approaches Nirguna Śiva: by ritually invoking Śiva’s powers (Śakti, Vidyā, Vidyeśas) and then bathing the Liṅga with Śiva-consecrated water, the devotee honors Śiva’s immanent presence while seeking transcendence.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It prescribes a sequence: perform nyāsa (mantric installation) of Śakti, Vidyā, and Vidyeśas, then offer water-abhiṣeka at the Liṅga’s base—an actionable Shiva Linga puja method often used in Mahāśivarātri and daily worship.