Shloka 3

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

Devanagari script

यथेष्टं लिंगमारोप्यं यत्र स्यान्नित्यमर्चनम् । पार्थिवेन तथाप्येनं तैजसेन यथारुचि

Transliteration

yatheṣṭaṃ liṃgamāropyaṃ yatra syānnityamarcanam | pārthivena tathāpyenaṃ taijasena yathāruci

Translation

Having installed the Liṅga as one wishes in a place fit for daily worship, one should venerate it continually—either as an earthen (pārthiva) Liṅga or likewise in a fiery (taijasa) form—according to one’s means and devotion.

Word by Word

• यथा-इष्टम्: as desired
• यथा-इष्टम्: विशेषण (क्रियाविशेषण/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय) + इष्ट (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्यय (adverbial compound)

• लिङ्गम्: liṅga (Śiva emblem)
• लिङ्गम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

• आरोप्यम्: to be installed/placed
• आरोप्यम्: विधेय (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-रुह् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त; तुमुन्-समर्थ्ये कर्मणि विधेय-भावे; ल्युट्/यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive/obligatory), नपुंसक, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; अर्थः—‘आरोपणीयम्’ (to be installed)

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक-सम्बन्ध (locative adverb)

• स्यात्: may be/is to be
• स्यात्: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• नित्यम्: always/regularly
• नित्यम्: विशेषण (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् प्रयोगः (adverbially)

• अर्चनम्: worship
• अर्चनम्: कर्ता/विषय (Karta/Subject-idea)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्चन (प्रातिपदिक; अर्च् धातोः भाव)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• पार्थिवेन: with an earthen (one)
• पार्थिवेन: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पार्थिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन; ‘पृथिवीसम्बन्धिना’ (made of earth)

• तथा: thus/likewise
• तथा: विशेषण (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (manner adverb)

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: सम्बन्ध/निपात (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle)

• एनम्: this (liṅga)
• एनम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• तैजसेन: with a metallic/fiery (one)
• तैजसेन: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तैजस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन; ‘तेजःसम्बन्धिना’ (made of metal/fire-like)

• यथा-रुचि: according to one’s liking
• यथा-रुचि: विशेषण (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय) + रुचि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्यय (adverbial)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Encourages nitya-arcana (daily worship) as stabilizing sādhana; the stress on a place suitable for regular worship aligns with household/temple continuity rather than one-time pilgrimage merit.

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 emphasizes nitya-arcanā—steady daily worship of Śiva through the Liṅga—showing that regular devotion, more than display, is a direct means to purity and grace (anugraha) leading toward liberation.

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

The Liṅga is a saguna support for approaching the transcendent Śiva; by installing it and worshiping daily, the devotee relates to Śiva in an accessible form while contemplating His higher, formless reality.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Install a Liṅga in a suitable place and perform daily archanā; worship may be done with a clay Liṅga (pārthiva) or with a taijasa (luminous/fire) mode of worship, supported by mantra-japa such as the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) according to one’s capacity.