Shloka 26
अर्चयित्वाऽत्र मामेव लिंगे लिंगिनमीश्वरम् । सालोक्यं चैव सामीप्यं सारूप्यं सार्ष्टिरेव च
arcayitvā'tra māmeva liṃge liṃginamīśvaram | sālokyaṃ caiva sāmīpyaṃ sārūpyaṃ sārṣṭireva ca
Having worshipped Me here—Me alone, the Supreme Lord, the Īśvara who dwells within the Liṅga—one attains sālokya (My realm), sāmīpya (nearness to Me), sārūpya (likeness to My form), and sārṣṭi (participation in My lordly powers and prosperity).
Lord Shiva (teaching the fruits of Linga worship within the Vidyeshvara/Vishveshvara section, as narrated in the Shiva Purana’s instructional discourse)
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Sadāśiva
Jyotirlinga: Viśvanātha
Sthala Purana: The verse frames liṅga-arcana as direct worship of the Liṅgin (Śiva) indwelling the liṅga; in the Kāśī/Viśveśvara milieu this is read as Viśvanātha granting the graded mukti-states (sālokya–sāmīpya–sārūpya–sārṣṭi) culminating in sāyujya.
Significance: Liṅga-worship with exclusive Śiva-niṣṭhā is said to yield proximity and participation in Śiva’s divine status, functioning as a soteriological ladder toward liberation.
Offering: pushpa
FAQs
It teaches that devoted Liṅga-worship is a direct means to Śiva’s grace, culminating in exalted states of liberation-like communion—sharing His realm, closeness, likeness, and divine participation—rather than mere worldly merit.
Śiva identifies Himself as the “Liṅgin,” the conscious Lord present within and revealed through the Liṅga; thus worship offered to the Liṅga is worship of Saguna Śiva as the accessible, gracious form of the Supreme.
Perform Liṅga-pūjā with focused devotion—offering water, flowers, and mantra-japa (especially the Pañcākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”)—contemplating that the Lord Himself is present in the Liṅga.