Shloka 26

Pārthiva-Śiva-liṅga Saṃkhyā-vidhāna

Enumeration and Procedure of Earthen Liṅga Worship

Devanagari script

भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदं लिंगं विविधापन्निवारणम् । पूजयित्वा नरो नित्यं शिवसायुज्यमाप्नुयात्

Transliteration

bhuktimuktipradaṃ liṃgaṃ vividhāpannivāraṇam | pūjayitvā naro nityaṃ śivasāyujyamāpnuyāt

Translation

This Liṅga bestows both worldly enjoyment and liberation, and it wards off many kinds of calamities. By worshipping it daily, one attains Śiva-sāyujya—union with Śiva.

Word by Word

• भुक्ति-मुक्ति-प्रदम्: granting enjoyment and liberation
• भुक्ति-मुक्ति-प्रदम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + मुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying लिङ्गम्); समाहारार्थे (giver of enjoyment and liberation)

• लिङ्गम्: the liṅga
• लिङ्गम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; कर्म

• विविध-आपद्-निवारणम्: removing various misfortunes
• विविध-आपद्-निवारणम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विविध (प्रातिपदिक) + आपद् (प्रातिपदिक) + निवारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying लिङ्गम्); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (remover of various calamities)

• पूजयित्वा: having worshipped
• पूजयित्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त; त्वा-प्रत्यय (क्त्वान्त अव्यय/gerund), पूर्वकाल (having worshipped)

• नरः: a man/person
• नरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; कर्ता

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kala-adhikarana (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावे प्रयुक्तम्; क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial accusative)

• शिव-सायुज्यम्: union with Śiva
• शिव-सायुज्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + सायुज्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; कर्म; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (union with Śiva)

• आप्नुयात्: may attain
• आप्नुयात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Viśvanātha

Sthala Purana: Kāśī/Viśveśvara tradition strongly associates Śiva’s anugraha with both bhukti (well-being) and mukti (liberation), culminating in sāyujya; the verse mirrors that Kāśī promise in generalized liṅga terms.

Significance: Promises both artha-kāma fulfillment and mokṣa, plus apad-nivāraṇa (warding calamities), making liṅga-arcana a complete refuge for householders and renunciants alike.

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Linga

FAQs

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

It presents the Śiva-liṅga as the compassionate means that grants both bhukti (rightful worldly well-being) and mukti (release from bondage), culminating in Śiva-sāyujya—liberating communion with Śiva through steady devotion.

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

The verse affirms Saguna worship through the liṅga as a direct, accessible support for devotion: by honoring the liṅga-form of Śiva with regular pūjā, the devotee is protected from adversities and led toward liberation.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Daily liṅga-pūjā is recommended—offering water, flowers, and prayer; it is naturally paired with japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” as a focused meditative worship.