Shloka 42

बन्धमोक्षवर्णनम्

Bondage and Liberation: The Prakṛti–Karma Wheel and Śiva as the Transcendent Cause

Devanagari script

शिल्पिनाकल्पितं लिंगं मंत्रेण स्थापितं च यत् । प्रतिष्ठितं प्राकृतं हि प्राकृतैश्वर्यभोगदम्

Transliteration

śilpinākalpitaṃ liṃgaṃ maṃtreṇa sthāpitaṃ ca yat | pratiṣṭhitaṃ prākṛtaṃ hi prākṛtaiśvaryabhogadam

Translation

A Liṅga fashioned by an artisan and then established with mantra—when thus duly installed—is indeed called “prākṛta” (made of material substance), and it bestows material enjoyments and worldly prosperities upon embodied beings.

Word by Word

• शिल्पिना: by an artisan
• शिल्पिना: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिल्पिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instr), एकवचन

• अकल्पितम्: made (crafted)
• अकल्पितम्: Karma-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्मसमानाधिकरण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + कल्प् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘fashioned/made’

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

• मन्त्रेण: with a mantra
• मन्त्रेण: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instr), एकवचन

• स्थापितम्: installed
• स्थापितम्: Karma-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्मसमानाधिकरण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: णिच् (causative) + क्त (PPP): स्थापि-त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘installed’

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

• यत्: which
• यत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative)

• प्रतिष्ठितम्: consecrated
• प्रतिष्ठितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘consecrated/established’

• प्राकृतम्: prākṛta (ordinary)
• प्राकृतम्: Karma-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्मसमानाधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राकृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘natural/common’

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/वाक्य-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), हेत्वर्थ/निश्चयार्थ

• प्राकृतैश्वर्यभोगदम्: giver of ordinary prosperity and enjoyment
• प्राकृतैश्वर्यभोगदम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राकृत-ऐश्वर्य-भोग-द (प्रातिपदिक; प्राकृत + ऐश्वर्य + भोग + द)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (determinative chain): ‘प्राकृतं ऐश्वर्यं च भोगश्च तद् ददाति’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages at Naimisharanya, in the Vidyeshvara context of Linga-pratishtha)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Sadyojāta

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: This verse is in a general liṅga-pratiṣṭhā taxonomy: an artisan-made liṅga, installed by mantra, is classified as prākṛta and yields laukika aiśvarya-bhoga (worldly prosperity/enjoyment), rather than the highest liberating fruit associated with transcendent realization.

Significance: Supports dharmic household worship and temple consecration aimed at artha/kāma within dharma; encourages correct expectation of fruits (bhoga vs mokṣa) in accordance with the liṅga’s ontological grade.

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It distinguishes a materially fashioned and mantra-installed Liṅga (prākṛta) and states its fruit: it chiefly grants worldly prosperity and enjoyments, showing that intention and mode of worship shape the results received from Śiva.

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

It affirms Saguna worship through a consecrated, visible Liṅga: when installed with mantra and proper rites, it becomes a valid focus for devotion and bestows tangible results in the realm of prakṛti.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It points to mantra-based installation (sthāpana/pratiṣṭhā) of the Liṅga—i.e., worship supported by japa and consecration rites—emphasizing that mantra and proper establishment are central to Linga worship.