Shloka 17

Pārthiva-Śiva-liṅga-māhātmya

The Excellence of the Earthen Śiva Liṅga

Devanagari script

पार्थिवाराधनं पुण्यं धन्यमायुर्विवर्धनम् । तुष्टिदं पुष्टिदंश्रीदं कार्यं साधकसत्तमैः

Transliteration

pārthivārādhanaṃ puṇyaṃ dhanyamāyurvivardhanam | tuṣṭidaṃ puṣṭidaṃśrīdaṃ kāryaṃ sādhakasattamaiḥ

Translation

Worship of the earthen (pārthiva) Liṅga is holy and auspicious; it increases one’s lifespan. It bestows contentment, nourishment, and prosperity—therefore it should be performed by the best of spiritual aspirants.

Word by Word

• pārthiva: earthen; of clay
• pārthiva: Samāsa-aṅga (समासाङ्ग/Compound member)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pārthiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Stem form as prior member in compound (समासपूर्वपद)

• ārādhanam: earthen worship (of Śiva)
• ārādhanam: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ārādhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); tatpuruṣa: pārthiva-ārādhana ("worship with clay/earthen worship")

• puṇyam: meritorious
• puṇyam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: puṇya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• dhanyam: blessed; fortunate
• dhanyam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dhanya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• āyuḥ: life-span
• āyuḥ: Samāsa-aṅga (समासाङ्ग/Compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āyus (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• vivardhanam: increasing longevity
• vivardhanam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi√vṛdh (धातु)
• Form: Present participial/agentive adjective in -ana (कृदन्त-प्रत्ययान्त), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); tatpuruṣa: āyur-vivardhana ("life-increasing")

• tuṣṭi: contentment
• tuṣṭi: Samāsa-aṅga (समासाङ्ग/Compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tuṣṭi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Stem form as prior member in compound (समासपूर्वपद)

• dam: giving satisfaction
• dam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: da (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); tatpuruṣa: tuṣṭi-da ("giver of satisfaction")

• puṣṭi: nourishment; prosperity
• puṣṭi: Samāsa-aṅga (समासाङ्ग/Compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puṣṭi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Stem form as prior member in compound (समासपूर्वपद)

• dam: giving nourishment
• dam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: da (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); tatpuruṣa: puṣṭi-da ("giver of nourishment")

• śrī: fortune; prosperity
• śrī: Samāsa-aṅga (समासाङ्ग/Compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Stem form as prior member in compound (समासपूर्वपद)

• dam: giving prosperity
• dam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: da (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); tatpuruṣa: śrī-da ("giver of prosperity")

• kāryam: to be done; should be performed
• kāryam: Vidheyaviśeṣaṇa (विधेयविशेषण/Predicative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kārya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Gerundive/तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (कृदन्त), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• sādhaka: practitioner
• sādhaka: Samāsa-aṅga (समासाङ्ग/Compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sādhaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Stem form as prior member in compound (समासपूर्वपद)

• sattamaiḥ: by the best practitioners
• sattamaiḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Agent; implied doer)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sattama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन); tatpuruṣa: sādhaka-sattama ("best among practitioners")

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Linga

FAQs

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

It declares Pārthiva-Liṅga worship as a highly meritorious Shaiva sādhanā that purifies the devotee and attracts Shiva’s grace, yielding inner contentment and auspicious upliftment alongside worldly well-being.

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

The Pārthiva Liṅga is a tangible, Saguna support for devotion—through reverent worship of the Liṅga, the aspirant approaches Shiva (Pati) with humility and steadiness, making the formless reality approachable in practice.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform Pārthiva-Liṅga pūjā with devotion—offer water and simple upacāras while repeating Shiva’s mantra (especially the Pañcākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and cultivating contentment and surrender.