Shloka 20

Pārthiva-Śiva-liṅga-māhātmya

The Excellence of the Earthen Śiva Liṅga

Devanagari script

त्रिसंध्यं योर्चयंल्लिंगं कृत्वा बिल्वेन पार्थिवम् । दशैकादशकंयावत्तस्य पुण्यफलं शृणु

Transliteration

trisaṃdhyaṃ yorcayaṃlliṃgaṃ kṛtvā bilvena pārthivam | daśaikādaśakaṃyāvattasya puṇyaphalaṃ śṛṇu

Translation

Hear the meritorious fruit of that person who, at the three sandhyās each day, fashions an earthen (pārthiva) Liṅga and worships it with bilva leaves—continuing this observance for the period of ten or eleven days.

Word by Word

• tri-saṃdhyam: at the three daily junctions (thrice daily)
• tri-saṃdhyam: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tri (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃdhyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyayībhāva (अव्ययीभाव) used adverbially; meaning ‘at the three sandhyās’ (त्रिषु सन्ध्यासु)

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; relative pronoun (सम्बन्ध-प्रत्ययः)

• arcayan: worshipping
• arcayan: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: arc (धातु)
• Form: Present active participle (वर्तमान-कृदन्त), Parasmaipada; Nominative masculine singular agreeing with yaḥ; धातु: अर्च् (पूजायाम्)

• liṅgam: the liṅga
• liṅgam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: liṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• kṛtvā: having made
• kṛtvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय, अव्ययकृदन्त); धातु: कृ (करणे)

• bilvena: with bilva leaves/with bilva
• bilvena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bilva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (or Masculine in some traditions), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular

• pārthivam: earthen
• pārthivam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pārthiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; adjective qualifying liṅgam (earthen)

• daśa-eka-ādaśakam: (for) eleven (days/times)
• daśa-eka-ādaśakam: Karma (कर्म/extent-object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daśa (प्रातिपदिक) + eka (प्रातिपदिक) + ādaśaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; संख्या-सम्बद्ध-समासः indicating ‘eleven (set of eleven)’; used with yāvat (extent)

• yāvat: as long as; up to
• yāvat: Parimāṇa (परिमाण/extent)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yāvat (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; limit/extent marker (परिमाणवाचक)

• tasya: of that (practice/person)
• tasya: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular; demonstrative pronoun

• puṇya-phalam: merit-fruit; reward
• puṇya-phalam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puṇya (प्रातिपदिक) + phala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; तत्पुरुषसमासः (पुण्यस्य फलम्)

• śṛṇu: hear; listen
• śṛṇu: Prayojaka (प्रयोजक/command to listener)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (धातु)
• Form: Imperative (लोṭ्), Parasmaipada; 2nd person singular (मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन); धातु: श्रु (श्रवणे)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga episode; it teaches a vrata-like regimen: thrice-daily (tri-saṃdhyā) fashioning of a clay liṅga and bilva-arcana for ten or eleven days, emphasizing disciplined repetition as a means to merit and purification.

Significance: Transforms ordinary time (daily sandhyās) into sacred time; highlights that sustained observance (niyama) yields phala comparable to kṣetra-based worship when done with bhakti and regularity.

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches disciplined, time-sanctified devotion (trisaṃdhyā) through simple yet potent Pārthiva-liṅga worship, emphasizing that sincere bhakti expressed through ritual purity and regularity yields great puṇya and supports liberation-oriented Shaiva practice.

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

The Liṅga is the accessible saguna focus through which the devotee approaches Śiva; by making an earthen liṅga and offering bilva, the worshipper concretely serves the Lord while contemplating the transcendent Pati beyond form.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform Pārthiva-liṅga pūjā at dawn, noon, and dusk, offering bilva leaves; accompany the worship with japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and a steady vrata for ten or eleven days.