Shloka 20

Pārthiva-Śiva-liṅga-māhātmya

The Excellence of the Earthen Śiva Liṅga

Devanagari script

त्रिसंध्यं योर्चयंल्लिंगं कृत्वा बिल्वेन पार्थिवम् । दशैकादशकंयावत्तस्य पुण्यफलं शृणु

Transliteration

trisaṃdhyaṃ yorcayaṃlliṃgaṃ kṛtvā bilvena pārthivam | daśaikādaśakaṃyāvattasya puṇyaphalaṃ śṛṇu

Translation

Höre die verdienstvolle Frucht dessen, der an den drei Sandhyās eines jeden Tages ein irdisches (pārthiva) Liṅga formt und es mit Bilva-Blättern verehrt, und diese Übung zehn oder elf Tage lang fortsetzt.

Word by Word

• tri-saṃdhyam: at the three daily junctions (thrice daily)
• tri-saṃdhyam: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tri (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃdhyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyayībhāva (अव्ययीभाव) used adverbially; meaning ‘at the three sandhyās’ (त्रिषु सन्ध्यासु)

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; relative pronoun (सम्बन्ध-प्रत्ययः)

• arcayan: worshipping
• arcayan: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: arc (धातु)
• Form: Present active participle (वर्तमान-कृदन्त), Parasmaipada; Nominative masculine singular agreeing with yaḥ; धातु: अर्च् (पूजायाम्)

• liṅgam: the liṅga
• liṅgam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: liṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• kṛtvā: having made
• kṛtvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय, अव्ययकृदन्त); धातु: कृ (करणे)

• bilvena: with bilva leaves/with bilva
• bilvena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bilva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (or Masculine in some traditions), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular

• pārthivam: earthen
• pārthivam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pārthiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; adjective qualifying liṅgam (earthen)

• daśa-eka-ādaśakam: (for) eleven (days/times)
• daśa-eka-ādaśakam: Karma (कर्म/extent-object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daśa (प्रातिपदिक) + eka (प्रातिपदिक) + ādaśaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; संख्या-सम्बद्ध-समासः indicating ‘eleven (set of eleven)’; used with yāvat (extent)

• yāvat: as long as; up to
• yāvat: Parimāṇa (परिमाण/extent)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yāvat (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; limit/extent marker (परिमाणवाचक)

• tasya: of that (practice/person)
• tasya: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular; demonstrative pronoun

• puṇya-phalam: merit-fruit; reward
• puṇya-phalam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puṇya (प्रातिपदिक) + phala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; तत्पुरुषसमासः (पुण्यस्य फलम्)

• śṛṇu: hear; listen
• śṛṇu: Prayojaka (प्रयोजक/command to listener)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (धातु)
• Form: Imperative (लोṭ्), Parasmaipada; 2nd person singular (मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन); धातु: श्रु (श्रवणे)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga episode; it teaches a vrata-like regimen: thrice-daily (tri-saṃdhyā) fashioning of a clay liṅga and bilva-arcana for ten or eleven days, emphasizing disciplined repetition as a means to merit and purification.

Significance: Transforms ordinary time (daily sandhyās) into sacred time; highlights that sustained observance (niyama) yields phala comparable to kṣetra-based worship when done with bhakti and regularity.

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches disciplined, time-sanctified devotion (trisaṃdhyā) through simple yet potent Pārthiva-liṅga worship, emphasizing that sincere bhakti expressed through ritual purity and regularity yields great puṇya and supports liberation-oriented Shaiva practice.

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

The Liṅga is the accessible saguna focus through which the devotee approaches Śiva; by making an earthen liṅga and offering bilva, the worshipper concretely serves the Lord while contemplating the transcendent Pati beyond form.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform Pārthiva-liṅga pūjā at dawn, noon, and dusk, offering bilva leaves; accompany the worship with japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and a steady vrata for ten or eleven days.