Shloka 14

पार्थिवार्चाविधिः | Pārthivārcā-vidhi

Procedure for the Earthen Liṅga Worship

Devanagari script

नीलग्रीवाय मंत्रेण नमःपूर्वेण भक्तिमान् । चरेच्छंकरलिंगस्य प्रतिष्ठापनमुत्तमम्

Transliteration

nīlagrīvāya maṃtreṇa namaḥpūrveṇa bhaktimān | carecchaṃkaraliṃgasya pratiṣṭhāpanamuttamam

Translation

With devotion, one should first offer obeisance and then, by the mantra “(Salutations) to Nīlagrīva,” perform the excellent rite of establishing the Śaṅkara-liṅga.

Word by Word

• नीलग्रीवाय: to Nīlagrīva (blue-necked one)
• नीलग्रीवाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nīla (प्रातिपदिक) + grīvā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, चतुर्थी-विभक्तिः (Dative), एकवचनम्; कर्मधारयः (नीला ग्रीवा यस्य सः = नीलग्रीवः)

• मन्त्रेण: with the mantra
• मन्त्रेण: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mantra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Salutation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: namas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय-प्रयोगः; नमस्कारार्थकः

• पूर्वेण: with the previous (mantra)
• पूर्वेण: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pūrva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; ‘पूर्वेण (मन्त्रेण)’

• भक्तिमान्: devout/possessing devotion
• भक्तिमान्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhakti (प्रातिपदिक) + matup (मत्वर्थीय-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; मत्वर्थीय-प्रत्ययान्त (possessive adjective)

• चरेत्: should perform/practice
• चरेत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: car (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• शंकरलिङ्गस्य: of Śaṅkara’s liṅga
• शंकरलिङ्गस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaṃkara (प्रातिपदिक) + liṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः (Genitive), एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (शंकरस्य लिङ्गम्)

• प्रतिष्ठापनम्: installation/establishment
• प्रतिष्ठापनम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prati-√sthā (धातु) + ल्युट् (कृत्)
• Form: ल्युट्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त-नाम (verbal noun); नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative), एकवचनम्

• उत्तमम्: excellent/supreme
• उत्तमम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative), एकवचनम्; विशेषणम्

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Nīlakaṇṭha

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: This verse is primarily a pūjā-vidhi instruction for establishing a Śaṅkara-liṅga; it can apply to household/temple pratiṣṭhā rather than a specific Jyotirliṅga origin narrative.

Significance: Liṅga-pratiṣṭhā is treated as making Śiva accessible (sākṣāt-sannidhāna) for daily worship; devotion (bhakti) is the qualifying inner condition for receiving grace.

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: (namaḥ) nīlagrīvāya …

Type: rudram

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that Śiva is approached through humble salutation (namaḥ) and heartfelt bhakti, and that consecrating the Liṅga is a supreme act of devotion that aligns the worshipper with Pati (Śiva) through right practice.

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

The verse explicitly prescribes pratiṣṭhā (ritual establishment) of the Śaṅkara-liṅga, affirming Saguna worship—Śiva graciously accessible through a sanctified emblem—while maintaining reverence through mantra and surrender.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It suggests mantra-japa and a formal Liṅga-pratiṣṭhā performed with devotion, beginning with ‘namaḥ’ (salutation) and invoking Śiva as Nīlagrīva (the Blue-necked Lord).