Shloka 8

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

Devanagari script

लिंगं पीठं चरे त्वेकं लिंगं बाणकृतं विना । लिंगप्रमाणं कर्तृणां द्वादशांगुलमुत्तमम्

Transliteration

liṃgaṃ pīṭhaṃ care tvekaṃ liṃgaṃ bāṇakṛtaṃ vinā | liṃgapramāṇaṃ kartṛṇāṃ dvādaśāṃgulamuttamam

Translation

The Liṅga and its pedestal (pīṭha) should be fashioned as one unified piece—except for a Liṅga of bāṇa, a naturally formed stone. For the makers, the finest standard measure of the Liṅga is twelve aṅgulas (finger-breadths).

Word by Word

• लिङ्गम्: liṅga (Śiva emblem)
• लिङ्गम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; nominative/accusative singular (neuter)

• पीठम्: pedestal/base
• पीठम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पीठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; nominative/accusative singular (neuter)

• चरे: make/prepare (you should do)
• चरे: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; parasmaipada

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थ; adversative/emphatic

• एकम्: one/single
• एकम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; agrees with लिङ्गम्/पीठम्

• लिङ्गम्: liṅga
• लिङ्गम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

• बाणकृतम्: made by an arrow
• बाणकृतम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बाण (प्रातिपदिक) + कृत (कृ-धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय; कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त; ‘made by an arrow’ (instrumental sense in compound)

• विना: without/excluding
• विना: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विना (अव्यय)
• Form: उपसर्गसदृश अव्यय/निपात; ‘without’; सामान्यतः तृतीया/द्वितीया-संबन्ध

• लिङ्गप्रमाणम्: measure/dimension of the liṅga
• लिङ्गप्रमाणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रमाण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘liṅga’s measure’

• कर्तॄणाम्: of the makers/performers
• कर्तॄणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), बहुवचन; genitive plural

• द्वादशाङ्गुलम्: twelve finger-breadths
• द्वादशाङ्गुलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वादश (संख्याप्रातिपदिक) + अङ्गुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः ‘twelve-aṅgulas (in length)’

• उत्तमम्: best/optimal
• उत्तमम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; superlative adjective qualifying द्वादशाङ्गुलम्/प्रमाणम्

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva worship injunctions to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Sadyojāta

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: General rule: in portable (cara) icons, liṅga and pīṭha are ideally one piece; exception is bāṇa-liṅga (naturally occurring stone), which may be treated differently. Also gives an ideal pramāṇa (12 aṅgulas).

Significance: Supports domestic/portable worship (cara-liṅga) with correct construction and proportion; bāṇa-liṅga exception highlights reverence for naturally formed sacred stones used in personal devotion.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that Saguna worship of Shiva should be done with order and reverence—proper form and proportion of the Liṅga supports steadiness of devotion (bhakti) and clarity of meditation, aligning outer ritual with inner concentration on Pati (Shiva).

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

It gives a practical rule for constructing the worship-icon: ordinarily the Liṅga and pīṭha are one integrated form, while a naturally formed bāṇa-liṅga is treated as an exception—highlighting both crafted consecration and the sanctity of svayambhū-like forms.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A takeaway is to follow correct Liṅga-pratiṣṭhā standards (including proportion such as twelve aṅgulas) and then perform steady daily Liṅga-pūjā—offering water, bilva, and japa of “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” with a focused mind.