Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 49

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

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Devanagari script

गृहार्चां च पुनर्वक्ष्ये प्रतिष्ठाविधिमुत्तमम् । कृत्वा कनीयसंबेरं लिंगं वा लक्षणान्वितम्

Transliteration

gṛhārcāṃ ca punarvakṣye pratiṣṭhāvidhimuttamam | kṛtvā kanīyasaṃberaṃ liṃgaṃ vā lakṣaṇānvitam

Translation

Erneut werde ich das vortreffliche Einsetzungsritual (Pratiṣṭhā) für die Hausverehrung darlegen. Nachdem man ein kleineres Bildnis (bera) oder einen Liṅga mit den rechten Merkmalen gemäß den Schriften bereitet hat, soll man zur Weihe und Aufstellung schreiten.

Word by Word

• गृह-अर्चाम्: household worship
• गृह-अर्चाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृह + अर्चा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—गृहे अर्चा (सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष)

• च: and
• च: Samucchaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Kala-adhikarana (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: पुनरावृत्ति/काल-अव्यय (adverb)

• वक्ष्ये: I shall explain
• वक्ष्ये: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), आत्मनेपद, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन

• प्रतिष्ठाविधिम्: the consecration procedure
• प्रतिष्ठाविधिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रतिष्ठा + विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—प्रतिष्ठायाः विधिः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• उत्तमम्: excellent
• उत्तमम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (प्रतिष्ठाविधिम्)

• कृत्वा: having made
• कृत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त (absolutive/gerund), ‘having made’

• कनीयसम्-बेरम्: a smaller icon (bera)
• कनीयसम्-बेरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कनीयस् + बेर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—कनीयान् बेरः (कर्मधारय)

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

• वा: or
• वा: Vikalpa (विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्प-अव्यय (disjunctive particle)

• लक्षण-अन्वितम्: endowed with characteristics
• लक्षण-अन्वितम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लक्षण + अन्वित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—लक्षणैः अन्वितम् (तृतीया-तत्पुरुष); विशेषणम् (लिङ्गम्)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Frames gṛhārcā (household worship) as a valid locus of Śiva’s presence when the icon/liṅga meets śāstric lakṣaṇa and is properly consecrated.

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Linga

FAQs

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

It frames household worship as a disciplined, scripturally guided approach to approaching Pati (Śiva) through a properly established sacred form, so devotion is supported by right method (vidhi) and inner reverence.

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

It explicitly permits worship through a smaller icon (bera) or through the Liṅga, affirming Saguna worship as a valid doorway to realize Śiva’s supreme reality, provided the form follows the prescribed lakṣaṇas.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is to perform Śiva-pratiṣṭhā (consecration/installation) before regular home worship—using a correctly formed Liṅga or icon—then sustain daily pūjā with mantra and devotion (commonly centered on the Pañcākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”).