Shloka 21

Liṅga-pratiṣṭhāvidhiḥ — Installation Standards and Auspicious Parameters for Liṅga Worship

Devanagari script

जंगमं लिंगमित्याहुः कृमिकीटादिकं तथा । स्थावरस्य च शुश्रूषा जंगमस्य च तर्पणम्

Transliteration

jaṃgamaṃ liṃgamityāhuḥ kṛmikīṭādikaṃ tathā | sthāvarasya ca śuśrūṣā jaṃgamasya ca tarpaṇam

Translation

Man sagt, der «bewegliche Liṅga» seien wahrhaft die lebenden Wesen – selbst Würmer, Insekten und dergleichen. Der Dienst am unbeweglichen (Śiva-Liṅga) und die sättigende Speisung des beweglichen (der Lebewesen) gelten beide als Akte der Verehrung.

Word by Word

• जङ्गमम्: the mobile (one)
• जङ्गमम्: कर्म (Karma)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जङ्गम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), एकवचन

• लिङ्गम्: liṅga
• लिङ्गम्: कर्म (Karma)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), एकवचन

• इति: thus
• इति: निपात (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उद्धरण/इत्यर्थक (quotative particle)

• आहुः: they say
• आहुः: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अह् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• कृमि-कीट-आदिकम्: worms, insects, etc.
• कृमि-कीट-आदिकम्: सम्बन्ध/उदाहरण (Appositional/Example)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृमि (प्रातिपदिक) + कीट (प्रातिपदिक) + आदिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; द्वन्द्व (कृमिश्च कीटश्च) + 'आदि' (etc.)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/प्रकारार्थ (adverb)

• स्थावरस्य: of the immobile (liṅga)
• स्थावरस्य: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थावर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunctive)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-बोधक (conjunction)

• शुश्रूषा: service/attendance
• शुश्रूषा: कर्ता (Kartā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुश्रूषा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• जङ्गमस्य: of the mobile (liṅga)
• जङ्गमस्य: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जङ्गम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunctive)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-बोधक (conjunction)

• तर्पणम्: satiation/feeding (offering)
• तर्पणम्: कर्ता (Kartā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तर्पण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not tied to a Jyotirliṅga; it extends liṅga-buddhi to ‘jaṅgama’—living beings down to worms/insects—so that service (śuśrūṣā) and nourishment (tarpaṇa) become Śiva-pūjā.

Significance: Reframes pilgrimage merit as compassionate conduct: feeding and caring for beings is worship of Śiva-as-indweller; aligns temple devotion with ethics (dayā) and non-harm.

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that Śiva’s presence is honored both in the consecrated, immovable liṅga and in living beings (the movable liṅga). Compassionate care—especially feeding and supporting life—becomes a direct extension of Śiva-bhakti.

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

Saguna worship of the liṅga is not limited to temple ritual; it must mature into reverence for life. Serving the sthāvara liṅga through pūjā and serving the jaṅgama liṅga through nourishment and support are complementary limbs of liṅga-upāsanā.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Alongside liṅga-pūjā (with mantra such as the Pañcākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), the verse points to tarpaṇa in the form of anna-dāna (feeding) and practical care for beings—making devotion tangible through seva.