Shloka 3

Pārthiva-Śiva-liṅga-māhātmya

The Excellence of the Earthen Śiva Liṅga

Devanagari script

सूत उवाच । शृणुध्वमृषयः सर्वे सद्भक्त्या हरतो खिलाः । शिवपार्थिवलिंगस्य महिमा प्रोच्यते मया

Transliteration

sūta uvāca | śṛṇudhvamṛṣayaḥ sarve sadbhaktyā harato khilāḥ | śivapārthivaliṃgasya mahimā procyate mayā

Translation

Sūta said: “O sages, listen all with true devotion, casting away every distraction. Now I shall proclaim the glory of Śiva’s earthen (pārthiva) Liṅga.”

Word by Word

• सूतः: Sūta
• सूतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• शृणुध्वम्: listen (you all)
• शृणुध्वम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), बहुवचन (Plural), आत्मनेपद

• ऋषयः: O sages
• ऋषयः: Sambodhyah (सम्बोध्य/Addressed)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषण (qualifier) of ऋषयः

• सत्-भक्त्या: with true devotion
• सत्-भक्त्या: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सद्भक्ति = सत् (प्रातिपदिक) + भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• हरतः: of Hari
• हरतः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• अखिलाः: entire, all
• अखिलाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अखिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषण (qualifier) of ऋषयः

• शिव-पार्थिव-लिङ्गस्य: of the earthen liṅga of Śiva
• शिव-पार्थिव-लिङ्गस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + पार्थिव (प्रातिपदिक) + लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• महिमा: the greatness
• महिमा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महिमा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• प्रोच्यते: is being told
• प्रोच्यते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वच् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), कर्मणि-प्रयोग (Passive)

• मया: by me
• मया: Kartr-karana in passive (कर्तृकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तम-पुरुष-सर्वनाम, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse frames Pārthiva Liṅga worship as a focused, devotion-led sādhana: by abandoning mental scatter and listening with faith, one becomes fit to receive the liṅga-mahātmya that leads the soul (paśu) toward Śiva (Pati) through grace.

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

It introduces the liṅga as Śiva’s accessible saguna support for devotion and concentration—especially the earthen liṅga made and worshiped with one’s own hands—through which the formless Lord is adored in a tangible, scripturally sanctioned form.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The immediate practice is inner preparation: remove distractions and approach with steady bhakti; in Pārthiva Liṅga pūjā this typically pairs with japa of the Panchākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” while offering water, bilva, and simple upacāras with a one-pointed mind.