Shloka 37

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

Devanagari script

संध्ययोश्च सहस्रं वा ज्ञेयं शिवपदप्रदम् । जपकाले मकारांतं मनःशुद्धिकरं भजेत्

Transliteration

saṃdhyayośca sahasraṃ vā jñeyaṃ śivapadapradam | japakāle makārāṃtaṃ manaḥśuddhikaraṃ bhajet

Translation

At the two sandhyā junctions—dawn and dusk—know that one thousand repetitions bestow the state and abode of Śiva. During japa, worship the mantra ending in “ma,” the five-syllabled “namaḥ śivāya,” for it purifies the mind.

Word by Word

• संध्ययोः: of/at the two twilight times (sandhyās)
• संध्ययोः: अधिकरण/सम्बन्ध (Adhikaraṇa/Sambandha)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संध्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), षष्ठी/सप्तमी-द्विवचन (Genitive/Locative Dual)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunctive)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• सहस्रम्: a thousand
• सहस्रम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया-एकवचन (Nom./Acc. Singular)

• वा: or
• वा: विकल्प (Alternative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (disjunctive/optional particle)

• ज्ञेयम्: to be known / should be understood
• ज्ञेयम्: विधेय-विशेषण (Predicative qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु) + यत् (कृत् प्रत्यय) → ज्ञेय (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: यत्-कृत्य (gerundive/future passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-एकवचन (Nom./Acc. Singular)

• शिवपदप्रदम्: granting the state/abode of Śiva
• शिवपदप्रदम्: विशेषण (Qualifier of the thing to be known)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिव-पद-प्रद (प्रातिपदिक); शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + पद (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-एकवचन (Nom./Acc. Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (शिवस्य पदं ददाति इति)

• जपकाले: at the time of japa
• जपकाले: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जप-काल (प्रातिपदिक); जप (प्रातिपदिक) + काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सप्तमी-एकवचन (Locative Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (जपस्य कालः)

• मकारान्तम्: ending with the letter ‘ma’
• मकारान्तम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मकार-अन्त (प्रातिपदिक); मकार (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचन (Accusative Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (मकारेण अन्तः यस्य)

• मनःशुद्धिकरम्: causing purification of the mind
• मनःशुद्धिकरम्: विशेषण (Qualifier of object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मनः-शुद्धि-कर (प्रातिपदिक); मनस् (प्रातिपदिक) + शुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक) + कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचन (Accusative Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (मनसः शुद्धिं करोति)

• भजेत्: should worship/recite
• भजेत्: क्रिया (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष-एकवचन (3rd person singular)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva’s worship-teachings to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: General sādhana instruction: sandhyā-japa (dawn/dusk) with a reduced count (1000) is declared Śiva-pada-prada; it then specifies the ‘makārānta’ mantra—pañcākṣarī ending in ‘-ma’ (namaḥ śivāya)—as mind-purifying.

Significance: Establishes a practical daily regimen: sandhyā-based japa integrates devotion into liminal times, promising purification and Śiva’s state.

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: namaḥ śivāya

Type: panchakshara

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that disciplined japa at the sacred sandhyā times, especially of the Panchākṣarī, purifies the mind and leads the devotee toward Shiva-pada (liberation and nearness to Pati, Shiva).

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

The verse emphasizes mantra-upāsanā as a primary limb of Saguna Shiva worship: the devotee approaches Shiva (often as Linga) through repeated remembrance of His name, which refines the inner instrument and deepens devotion.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform japa at dawn and dusk—traditionally aiming for a thousand repetitions—focusing on the Panchākṣarī “namaḥ śivāya” (the mantra ending in “ma”), with steady attention for mental purification.