मदात्मकमिदं नित्यं मम सान्निध्यकारणम् । महत्पूज्यमिदं नित्यमभेदाल्लिंगसिंगिनोः
madātmakamidaṃ nityaṃ mama sānnidhyakāraṇam | mahatpūjyamidaṃ nityamabhedālliṃgasiṃginoḥ
This (Liṅga) is eternally of My very nature and is the cause of My immediate presence. It is ever worthy of great worship, because the Liṅga and the Liṅgin (Śiva, the Bearer of the Liṅga) are non-different.
Lord Shiva
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Sadāśiva
Sthala Purana: The verse states the arcā-liṅga is ‘madātmaka’ and causes sānnidhya; this matches the sthala-purāṇa logic of many liṅga-kṣetras: the Lord makes Himself accessible through consecrated presence.
Significance: Affirms that worship of the liṅga is worship of Śiva Himself (non-difference), strengthening faith (śraddhā) and making grace experientially near.
Type: stotra
Role: liberating
Offering: dhupa
It establishes that the Śiva-Liṅga is not a mere symbol but a perpetual locus of Śiva’s presence; worship offered to the Liṅga reaches Śiva directly because of their essential non-difference.
It legitimizes Saguna upāsanā (devotional worship with form) by declaring the Liṅga to be Śiva’s own nature and therefore supremely worship-worthy; devotion to the Liṅga becomes devotion to Śiva Himself.
Regular (nitya) Liṅga-pūjā is implied—daily worship with mantra (notably the Pañcākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), along with traditional offerings such as water/abhisheka and reverent contemplation of Śiva’s living presence (sānnidhya).