Shloka 39

Brahmā–Viṣṇu-Pūjā: Upacāra-Vistāra and Īśvara’s Prasāda

Offerings in Shiva Worship and the Lord’s Grace

Devanagari script

ईशत्वादेव मे नित्यं न मदन्यस्य कस्यचित् । आदौ ब्रह्मत्त्वबुद्ध्यर्थं निष्कलं लिंगमुत्थितम्

Transliteration

īśatvādeva me nityaṃ na madanyasya kasyacit | ādau brahmattvabuddhyarthaṃ niṣkalaṃ liṃgamutthitam

Translation

Because sovereign lordship belongs eternally to Me alone, and to none other, in the beginning the partless (niṣkala) Liṅga manifested so that the knowledge of My Brahman-nature might arise.

Word by Word

• ईशत्वात्: because of lordship
• ईशत्वात्: Hetu/Reason (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईशत्व (प्रातिपदिक; ईश+त्व)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/अपादान), एकवचन; तद्धितान्त-भाववाचक (त्व)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha/Emphasis (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (emphasis)

• मे: of me/my
• मे: Shashthi-sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kriya-visheshaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव/क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण नपुंसक-एकवचन (adverbial accusative)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha/Negation (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय

• मत्: than me/from me
• मत्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative), एकवचन; समासपूर्वपद-रूप (मत् = मत्तः)

• अन्यस्य: of another
• अन्यस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन; विशेषण

• कस्यचित्: of anyone whatsoever
• कस्यचित्: Shashthi-sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन; अनिश्चितार्थे चित्-प्रत्यय (indefinite)

• आदौ: in the beginning
• आदौ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी-एकवचनरूपेण अव्ययीभूत (locative used adverbially)

• ब्रह्मत्त्वबुद्ध्यर्थम्: for the purpose of (giving) the understanding of Brahmanhood
• ब्रह्मत्त्वबुद्ध्यर्थम्: Prayojana/Purpose (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मत्त्व + बुद्धि + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिकानि)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (ब्रह्मत्त्वस्य बुद्ध्यर्थम् = for the purpose of understanding Brahmanhood); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative; purpose) , एकवचन

• निष्कलम्: partless/without parts
• निष्कलम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निष्कल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• लिङ्गम्: the liṅga (sign/emblem)
• लिङ्गम्: Karta/Subject (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन

• उत्थितम्: arisen/appeared
• उत्थितम्: Kriya/Predicate (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उत्-स्था (धातु) + क्त (प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि/भूतभावे कृदन्त (past participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; लिङ्गम् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

Speaker

Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Liṅgodbhava

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Viśvanātha

Sthala Purana: The self-manifest (svayambhū) niṣkala Liṅga arises to awaken knowledge of Śiva’s Brahman-nature; this aligns with Kāśī’s Viśveśvara/Viśvanātha as the paradigmatic locus where Śiva reveals Himself as the supreme Lord beyond Brahmā and Viṣṇu.

Significance: Darśana of the niṣkala Liṅga grants jñāna of Śiva’s supremacy and is famed for mokṣa-bestowing power (Kāśī-mukti).

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Primordial theophany: manifestation of the niṣkala Liṅga to disclose supreme īśatva

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It declares Shiva’s eternal supremacy (pati-tattva) and explains that the niṣkala Liṅga appears to awaken direct knowledge that Shiva is the Supreme Brahman, leading the seeker toward liberation.

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

The Liṅga is presented as the revelatory ‘sign’ through which devotees approach the transcendent, partless Shiva; from Liṅga-upāsanā one matures from form-based devotion (saguṇa practice) toward realization of the formless (niṣkala) reality.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on the Liṅga as niṣkala—silent, undivided consciousness—while performing Liṅga-pūjā (water/abhisheka) and inwardly repeating the Panchakshara, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” as a means to awaken Brahman-knowledge.