Shloka 27

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

Devanagari script

तदंगाचमनं चैव स्नानमभ्यंगपूर्वकम् । वस्त्रं गंधं तथा पुष्पं धूपं दीपं निवेदनम्

Transliteration

tadaṃgācamanaṃ caiva snānamabhyaṃgapūrvakam | vastraṃ gaṃdhaṃ tathā puṣpaṃ dhūpaṃ dīpaṃ nivedanam

Translation

Then one should perform ācamana for those purified limbs, and bathe (snāna) preceded by an oil-massage (abhyanga). Thereafter one should offer cloth, fragrance (sandal-paste), flowers, incense, a lamp, and naivedya—the food-offering—to the Lord.

Word by Word

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); demonstrative pronoun used adjectivally

• अङ्ग-आचमनम्: sipping/ritual rinsing of the limbs
• अङ्ग-आचमनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + आचमन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: अङ्गस्य आचमनम्

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction/particle (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (निश्चय/अवधारणार्थक अव्यय)

• स्नानम्: bath
• स्नानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• अभ्यङ्ग-पूर्वकम्: preceded by oil-massage
• अभ्यङ्ग-पूर्वकम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभ्यङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + पूर्वक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); उपपद-तत्पुरुष: अभ्यङ्गः पूर्वं यस्य (i.e., preceded by oil-massage)

• वस्त्रम्: cloth/garment
• वस्त्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• गन्धम्: fragrance/perfume
• गन्धम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• तथा: likewise/also
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (प्रकारवाचक अव्यय)

• पुष्पम्: flower
• पुष्पम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• धूपम्: incense
• धूपम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• दीपम्: lamp
• दीपम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दीप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• निवेदनम्: offering/presentation (of food etc.)
• निवेदनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निवेदन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Viśvanātha

Sthala Purana: Kāśī’s liṅga worship is characterized by abhiṣeka and offerings; the verse’s snāna/abhyaṅga and subsequent upacāras echo the kṣetra’s famed abhiṣeka traditions.

Significance: Abhiṣeka and upacāra offerings are central acts of devotion believed to purify pāśa (bondage) and invite Śiva’s grace.

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that approaching Shiva (Pati) requires inner and outer purification and a complete offering of oneself through ordered worship—cleanliness, devotion, and respectful upacāras—so the bound soul (paśu) becomes fit for grace (anugraha).

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

The listed offerings—bath, cloth, fragrance, flowers, incense, lamp, and food—are classic upacāras used in Linga-pūjā, honoring Saguna Shiva in a tangible form while cultivating concentration and reverence toward the transcendent Nirguna reality.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It suggests a disciplined pūjā-krama: purificatory ācamana and snāna (with abhyaṅga), followed by sensory offerings (gandha, puṣpa, dhūpa, dīpa, naivedya), ideally accompanied by mantra-japa such as the Pañcākṣarī—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya.”