Linga Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 23

Bhūtavana–Kailāsa–Mandākinī–Rudrapurī: Śiva’s Jeweled Abodes and Perpetual Worship

Devanagari script

जांबूनदमयैः पद्मैर् गन्धस्पर्शगुणान्वितैः नीलवैडूर्यपत्रैश् च गन्धोपेतैर्महोत्पलैः

Transliteration

jāṃbūnadamayaiḥ padmair gandhasparśaguṇānvitaiḥ nīlavaiḍūryapatraiś ca gandhopetairmahotpalaiḥ

Translation

With lotuses made of Jāmbūnada-gold, endowed with fragrance and pleasing touch; with petals like blue vaidūrya gems; and with great utpala water-lilies suffused with perfume—thus is worship performed, offering such excellence to Pati, the Lord who loosens the bonds of the paśu.

Word by Word

• jāmbūnada-mayaiḥ: made of Jāmbūnada (fine gold)

• padmaiḥ: with lotuses

• gandha: fragrance

• sparśa: touch

• guṇa-anvitaiḥ: endowed with qualities

• nīla: blue

• vaiḍūrya: vaidūrya-gem (cat’s-eye/beryl-like jewel)

• patraiḥ: with petals/leaves

• ca: and

• gandha-upetaiḥ: accompanied by fragrance, perfumed

• mahā-utpalaiḥ: with great utpala-lotuses/water-lilies

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

What is the importance of this verse in the context of Linga worship?

It emphasizes offering the finest, pure, and fragrant substances—golden lotuses and gem-like petals—as a form of refined archana, where beauty and purity are directed to Shiva (Pati) to sanctify the worshipper (paśu).

How does this verse describe the nature of Shiva (Shiva-tattva)?

By implying that the highest-quality offerings are oriented to Him, the verse presents Shiva as Pati—the supreme recipient of worship—whose grace transforms sensory qualities (gandha, sparśa) into means of purification and release from pāśa (bondage).

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Puja-vidhi through sensory sanctification: using fragrance and touch (gandha-sparśa) in offerings as disciplined devotion, aligning the senses toward Shiva—supportive of Pāśupata-oriented inner purification.