Shloka 109

पार्थिवप्रतिमापूजाविधानम्

Pārthiva-pratimā Pūjā-vidhāna — Procedure for Worship of an Earthen Icon

Devanagari script

प्राकृतैः पुरुषैश्चापि बाह्याभ्यंतरसंभवैः । षोडशैरुपचारैश्च शिवलिंगं प्रपूजयेत्

Transliteration

prākṛtaiḥ puruṣaiścāpi bāhyābhyaṃtarasaṃbhavaiḥ | ṣoḍaśairupacāraiśca śivaliṃgaṃ prapūjayet

Translation

Even ordinary people should worship the Śiva-liṅga with the sixteen traditional services, offering both outer and inner reverence arising from external acts and inward devotion.

Word by Word

• प्राकृतैः: ordinary / common
• प्राकृतैः: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राकृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; विशेषण (पुरुषैः)

• पुरुषैः: by men / by persons
• पुरुषैः: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक

• अपि: also / even
• अपि: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अप्यर्थक (also/even)

• बाह्याभ्यन्तरसम्भवैः: by those arising from external and internal (means)
• बाह्याभ्यन्तरसम्भवैः: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बाह्य + अभ्यन्तर + सम्भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; द्वन्द्व (बाह्य + अभ्यन्तर) ततः तत्पुरुष-समासान्त (सम्भव = arising)

• षोडशैः: with sixteen
• षोडशैः: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षोडश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; संख्याविशेषण (उपचारैः)

• उपचारैः: with offerings / services
• उपचारैः: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपचार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक

• शिवलिङ्गम्: the Śiva-liṅga
• शिवलिङ्गम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव + लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (शिवस्य लिङ्गम्)

• प्रपूजयेत्: should worship
• प्रपूजयेत्: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + पूज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Viśvanātha

Sthala Purana: In Kāśī, Śiva abides as Viśveśvara/Viśvanātha granting liberation; liṅga-pūjā there is taught as accessible even to householders through prescribed upacāras and inner devotion.

Significance: Liṅga-pūjā with outer (bāhya) and inner (ābhyantara) upacāras is presented as a direct means to Śiva’s grace; in Kāśī it is traditionally linked with mokṣa and removal of bondage.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Shiva-Linga

FAQs

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

It teaches that Śiva’s grace is accessible to all—worship is not restricted by status—so long as one offers both outer observances and inner devotion, harmonizing act (kriyā) with heartfelt bhakti.

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

The Liṅga is approached as Saguna Śiva for worship through the sixteen upacāras, while the “inner” worship points to contemplating Śiva as the indwelling Lord (Pati) beyond mere ritual form.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform Śoḍaśopacāra Liṅga-pūjā (sixteen services such as āvāhana, arghya, snāna/abhisheka, gandha, puṣpa, dhūpa, dīpa, naivedya, namaskāra) while sustaining inner japa of “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” and a devotional, purified mind.