Shloka 12

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

Devanagari script

मुक्ताप्रवालगोमेदवज्राणि नवरत्नकम् । मध्ये लिंगं महद्द्रव्यं निक्षिपेत्सहवैदिके

Transliteration

muktāpravālagomedavajrāṇi navaratnakam | madhye liṃgaṃ mahaddravyaṃ nikṣipetsahavaidike

Translation

He should place the nine precious gems—pearls, coral, gomedaka (hessonite), and diamond—together with Vedic sanctity; and in their midst he should install the great sacred substance, the Liṅga.

Word by Word

• मुक्ता: pearls
• मुक्ता: Karma (कर्म) — समुच्चित-वस्तूनि
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुक्ता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन (Feminine, Nom/Acc, Plural) — समाहार-द्वन्द्वसमासस्य अवयवः (member of collective list)

• प्रवाल: coral
• प्रवाल: Karma (कर्म) — समुच्चित-वस्तूनि
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रवाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular) — समाहारार्थे (used as item in a collective list)

• गोमेद: gomedaka gem (hessonite)
• गोमेद: Karma (कर्म) — समुच्चित-वस्तूनि
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोमेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (Masc/Neut, Nom/Acc, Singular) — रत्ननाम (gem-name)

• वज्राणि: diamonds
• वज्राणि: Karma (कर्म) — समुच्चित-वस्तूनि
• Type: Noun
• Root: वज्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन (Neuter, Nom/Acc, Plural) — रत्नार्थे (diamond)

• नवरत्नकम्: the set of nine gems
• नवरत्नकम्: Karma (कर्म) — निक्षेप्य-वस्तु
• Type: Noun
• Root: नव + रत्नक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular); द्विगुसमास (numeral compound) = ‘नव रत्नानि’ (nine gems)

• मध्ये: in the middle
• मध्ये: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण) — स्थान
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable) — स्थानवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb): ‘in the middle’

• लिङ्गम्: the liṅga
• लिङ्गम्: Karma (कर्म) — निक्षेप्य-वस्तु
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (Neuter, Accusative, Singular)

• महत्: great
• महत्: Karma (कर्म) — विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (Neuter, Accusative, Singular) — विशेषण (adjective) of ‘द्रव्यम्’

• द्रव्यम्: substance/valuable material
• द्रव्यम्: Karma (कर्म) — निक्षेप्य-वस्तु
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (Neuter, Accusative, Singular)

• निक्षिपेत्: should place/deposit
• निक्षिपेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया) — विधेय
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + क्षिप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (Optative, Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Singular)

• सह: together with
• सह: Sahakāraka (सहकारक) — सहभाव
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय — सहार्थक-उपसर्ग/निपात (indeclinable meaning ‘together with’), सामान्यतः तृतीया-संबन्धी (governs instrumental sense)

• वैदिके: in/with the Vedic (rite)
• वैदिके: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण) — सन्दर्भ/स्थान
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वैदिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन (Neuter/Masc, Locative, Singular) — ‘(in) the Vedic (rite/place)’; ‘सह’ इत्यस्य सहचर-स्थान/विधिसूचक (context of Vedic procedure)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating the worship-teachings to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Liṅgodbhava

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Somanātha

Sthala Purana: Ratna and liṅga installation evokes the archetype of a richly endowed liṅga shrine; Somanātha is famed in purāṇic memory for resplendent temple wealth and for Soma’s restoration through Śiva’s grace.

Significance: Liṅga-pratiṣṭhā with Vedic sanctification is held to confer stability, prosperity, and—more centrally—Śiva’s anugraha leading toward liberation.

Mantra Metadata

Type: rudram

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse teaches that devotion (bhakti) may be expressed through sanctified offerings and ordered worship: placing precious substances around the Liṅga symbolizes offering one’s highest values to Pati (Śiva), the supreme Lord, while keeping the Liṅga at the center as the true refuge.

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

It presents the Liṅga as the central Saguna focus for worship—surrounded by auspicious offerings—showing how the formless Supreme is approached through a consecrated form, in accordance with Śaiva ritual discipline.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A consecration-style offering: arrange or offer navaratna in a sanctified (vaidika) manner and install/center the Śiva-liṅga; practitioners typically accompany such acts with mantra-japa (especially Pañcākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and inward centering on Śiva as the indwelling Lord.