Shloka 8
मनुय ऊचुः । बेरमात्रे तु सर्वत्र पूज्यंते देवतागणाः । लिंगेबेरे च सर्वत्र कथं संपूज्यते शिवः
manuya ūcuḥ | beramātre tu sarvatra pūjyaṃte devatāgaṇāḥ | liṃgebere ca sarvatra kathaṃ saṃpūjyate śivaḥ
The sages said: “Everywhere, the hosts of deities are worshipped only in their icons (bera). But Śiva is worshipped everywhere both in the Liṅga and in the icon—how, then, is Śiva to be worshipped in a complete and proper manner?”
The sages (addressing Suta Goswami in the Naimiṣāraṇya dialogue frame)
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Sadāśiva
Significance: Raises the doctrinal-ritual question distinctive to Śaivism: Śiva’s worship spans both aniconic (liṅga) and iconic (bera) modes, prompting correct integrative procedure.
Role: teaching
FAQs
It highlights Shiva’s unique accessibility: unlike other deities commonly approached through an icon alone, Shiva is worshipped as both the formless-transcendent reality (signified by the Liṅga) and the gracious personal Lord (through the bera). The verse invites a fuller, integrated approach to devotion.
The sages explicitly ask how Shiva is to be worshipped when both modes are valid—Liṅga (a universal symbol pointing to the Supreme beyond limitation) and bera (a personal, form-based focus for devotion). It sets up instruction on harmonizing Nirguṇa-oriented reverence with Saguṇa bhakti.
The verse implies learning the ‘saṃpūjā’ (complete worship) of Shiva—typically involving Liṅga-pūjā with mantra-japa (especially the Pañcākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), along with proper upacāras and devotion, whether one’s focus is on the Liṅga or an icon.