Shloka 30

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

Devanagari script

अथवा मानुषे लिंगेप्यार्षे दैवे स्वयंभुवि । स्थापितेऽपूर्वके लिंगे सोपचारं यथा तथा

Transliteration

athavā mānuṣe liṃgepyārṣe daive svayaṃbhuvi | sthāpite'pūrvake liṃge sopacāraṃ yathā tathā

Translation

Oder ob der Liṅga von Menschenhand gemacht, von einem Ṛṣi errichtet, göttlichen Ursprungs oder svayambhū (selbstmanifest) ist: Wenn ein solcher, zuvor nicht dagewesener, neu installierter Liṅga aufgestellt wurde, soll er mit den gebührenden Darbringungen und Diensten (sopacāra) nach der vorgeschriebenen Weise verehrt werden.

Word by Word

• अथवा: or else
• अथवा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथवा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक अव्यय (disjunctive)

• मानुषे: in a man-made (liṅga)
• मानुषे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मानुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; locative singular qualifying लिङ्गे

• लिङ्गे: in the liṅga
• लिङ्गे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; locative singular

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात; समुच्चय/अपवाद; here ‘also/even’

• आर्षे: in a ṛṣi-made/ṛṣis’ (liṅga)
• आर्षे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; locative singular qualifying लिङ्गे (understood)

• दैवे: in a divine (liṅga)
• दैवे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दैव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; locative singular qualifying लिङ्गे (understood)

• स्वयंभुवि: in the self-born/self-manifest
• स्वयंभुवि: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वयंभू (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; locative singular ‘in the self-manifest (liṅga)’

• स्थापिते: in the installed (liṅga)
• स्थापिते: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्था (धातु) + पित (क्त; कृदन्त) / स्थापित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; ‘when/where (it is) installed’ (qualifying लिङ्गे)

• अपूर्वके: in the unprecedented/unique (one)
• अपूर्वके: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपूर्वक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; locative singular qualifying लिङ्गे

• लिङ्गे: in the liṅga
• लिङ्गे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन

• सोपचारम्: with proper rites/attentions
• सोपचारम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स (अव्यय/उपसर्गसदृश ‘with’) + उपचार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; क्रियाविशेषण; ‘with (due) offerings/attendances’

• यथा: as/in whatever way
• यथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• तथा: so/in that way
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: The verse classifies liṅgas by origin—human-made, ṛṣi-established, divine, and svayaṃbhū—reflecting pan-Indian temple typologies rather than a single jyotirliṅga legend.

Significance: Affirms that worship is valid across liṅga-origins; the ‘newly installed’ liṅga requires full upacāra, emphasizing correct ritual form as a means to remove concealment (tirodhāna) and reveal Śiva’s presence.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that Shiva’s grace is accessed through devotion and right worship, regardless of the Liṅga’s origin—human-made, sage-established, divine, or self-manifest—so long as the worship is performed with sincere upacāras and proper discipline.

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

The Liṅga is Saguna Shiva’s accessible form for devotees; this verse affirms that every authentic Liṅga-installation becomes a valid locus of worship, where offerings (upacāras) and mantra-oriented devotion focus the mind and heart on Lord Shiva.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform sopacāra Liṅga-pūjā—standard upacāras such as ācamana, gandha, puṣpa, dhūpa, dīpa, naivedya, and namaskāra—ideally with japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) during or after worship.