Shloka 76

Devanagari script

तदूर्ध्वं हि व्रजंत्येते पौरुषद्र व्यपूजकाः । तदर्वाक्छक्तिलिंगं तु शिवलिंगं तदूर्ध्वकम्

Transliteration

tadūrdhvaṃ hi vrajaṃtyete pauruṣadra vyapūjakāḥ | tadarvākchaktiliṃgaṃ tu śivaliṃgaṃ tadūrdhvakam

Translation

Indeed, those who worship the masculine principle (Puruṣa) through material offerings rise upward beyond that. Below it is the Śakti-liṅga; higher than that stands the Śiva-liṅga.

Word by Word

• तत्-ऊर्ध्वम्: thereafter/upwards
• तत्-ऊर्ध्वम्: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + ऊर्ध्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः (adverbial): ‘thereafter/upwards’

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• व्रजन्ति: go
• व्रजन्ति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √व्रज् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• एते: these (people)
• एते: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• पौरुष-द्रव्य-पूजकाः: worshippers of/with male substance
• पौरुष-द्रव्य-पूजकाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पौरुष + द्रव्य + पूजक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष: पौरुषद्रव्येण/पौरुषद्रव्यस्य पूजकाः (worshippers using/for male substance)

• तत्-अर्वाक्-शक्ति-लिङ्गम्: the Śakti-liṅga below that
• तत्-अर्वाक्-शक्ति-लिङ्गम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + अर्वाक् (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + शक्ति + लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास: ‘below that’ + ‘śakti-liṅga’

• तु: but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/अवधारण-निपात (but/indeed)

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

• तत्-ऊर्ध्वकम्: above that
• तत्-ऊर्ध्वकम्: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + ऊर्ध्वक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः (adverbial): ‘above that’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: liberating

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Shakti

FAQs

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

It teaches a graded spiritual ascent: worship tied to material offerings and limited principles is surpassed by subtler devotion, culminating in Śiva-liṅga worship that points to Pati (Śiva) as the supreme liberator.

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

It distinguishes levels of symbolic worship and places Śiva-liṅga worship as the higher focus—Saguna devotion that most directly leads the devotee toward realization of Śiva’s supreme status beyond all limiting adjuncts.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Prioritize Śiva-liṅga pūjā with purity and devotion—offering water, bilva leaves, and mantra-japa (especially the Pañcākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”)—while mentally transcending mere materialism toward inner surrender to Śiva.