Shloka 1

Devanagari script

सूत उवाच । श्रवणादित्रिकेऽशक्तो लिंगं बेरं च शांकरम् । संस्थाप्य नित्यमभ्यर्च्य तरेत्संसारसागरम्

Transliteration

sūta uvāca | śravaṇāditrike'śakto liṃgaṃ beraṃ ca śāṃkaram | saṃsthāpya nityamabhyarcya taretsaṃsārasāgaram

Translation

Sūta said: One who is unable to practice the triad beginning with hearing (śravaṇa) should establish the Śaṅkara-liṅga and also the sacred Śaṅkara-image (bera); worshipping them daily with devotion, he shall cross the ocean of saṃsāra.

Word by Word

• सूतः: Sūta
• सूतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• श्रवण-आदि-त्रिके: in the triad beginning with hearing
• श्रवण-आदि-त्रिके: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रवण (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + त्रिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी एकवचन

• अशक्तः: unable
• अशक्तः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अशक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन (understood subject: ‘he’)

• लिङ्गम्: liṅga (Śiva emblem)
• लिङ्गम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन

• बेरम्: icon/image (bera)
• बेरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बेर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय (conjunction)

• शाङ्करम्: pertaining to Śaṅkara (Śiva)
• शाङ्करम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शाङ्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन (qualifying ‘लिङ्गम्/बेरम्’)

• संस्थाप्य: having installed
• संस्थाप्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-√स्था (धातु) → संस्थाप्य (ल्यप्/क्त्वान्त)
• Form: ल्यप्/क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund): ‘having स्थापित/installed’

• नित्यम्: daily/always
• नित्यम्: Sambandha (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययीभाव)
• Form: अव्यय, कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: ‘always/daily’)

• अभ्यर्च्य: having worshipped
• अभ्यर्च्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-√अर्च् (धातु) → अभ्यर्च्य (ल्यप्)
• Form: ल्यप् अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund): ‘having worshipped’

• तरेत्: should cross
• तरेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √तॄ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• संसार-सागरम्: the ocean of worldly existence
• संसार-सागरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संसार (प्रातिपदिक) + सागर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (संसारस्य सागरः), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a specific Jyotirliṅga episode; the verse teaches a general remedial upāya: for those unfit for śravaṇa–manana–nididhyāsana, establish a Śaṅkara-liṅga and Śaṅkara-bera and worship daily to cross saṃsāra.

Significance: Affirms that accessible daily liṅga/mūrti worship (caryā/kriyā) can become a vehicle for Śiva’s grace leading beyond bondage.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches an accessible Shaiva Siddhanta path: when higher contemplative disciplines are difficult, steady daily worship of Śiva (liṅga and icon) becomes a direct means to loosen bondage and attain liberation.

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

It explicitly recommends both forms—liṅga (symbolic/aniconic) and bera (iconic/saguna)—showing that concrete worship supports devotion, purification, and grace, leading the devotee beyond saṃsāra.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Establish (saṃsthāpya) a Śiva-liṅga and/or Śiva-mūrti and perform daily abhyarcana—regular pūjā/abhisheka with mantra and offerings—maintaining consistent devotion as the core practice.