Shloka 73

Shivamurti–Pratishtha Phala: Shivalaya-Nirmana, Kshetra-Mahatmya, Tirtha-Snana, and Mandala-Vidhi

Devanagari script

निवेद्य देवदेवाय क्षितिदानफलं लभेत् शालिपिष्टादिभिर् वापि पद्ममालिख्य निर्धनः

Transliteration

nivedya devadevāya kṣitidānaphalaṃ labhet śālipiṣṭādibhir vāpi padmamālikhya nirdhanaḥ

Translation

By presenting it to Devadeva, the God of gods, one attains merit equal to the gift of land. Even a poor person, by drawing a lotus with rice-flour and the like and offering it to Śiva, gains that same fruit.

Word by Word

• निवेद्य (nivedya): having offered/presented

• देवदेवाय (devadevāya): to the God of gods (Śiva)

• क्षितिदानफलं (kṣitidāna-phalam): the fruit/merit of gifting land

• लभेत् (labhet): one obtains

• शालिपिष्टादिभिः (śāli-piṣṭādibhiḥ): with rice-flour and similar substances

• वा अपि (vā api): or even

• पद्मम् (padmam): a lotus

• आलिख्य (ālikhya): having drawn/sketched

• निर्धनः (nirdhanaḥ): a poor person.

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Linga Purana’s puja/dana merits to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It establishes that sincere symbolic offerings to Śiva—such as a lotus drawn with simple materials—can yield the same punya as major gifts like land, emphasizing bhakti and intention in Linga-puja.

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

Śiva is addressed as Devadeva, the supreme Pati who grants फल (spiritual merit) according to inner devotion rather than external wealth, loosening the pasha (bondage) of limitation for the pashu (soul).

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

A puja-vidhi principle: offering a padma (lotus) even as an alikhita (drawn) substitute with rice flour—an accessible upachara—showing that disciplined worship and surrender can replace costly materials.