Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 13

लिङ्ग-बेर-प्रतिष्ठाविधिः / The Procedure for Installing the Liṅga and the Bera

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Devanagari script

प्रापय्य शनकैस्तोयं पीठिकोपरि शाययेत् । प्राक्शिरस्कमधःसूत्रं पिंडिकां चास्य पश्चिमे

Transliteration

prāpayya śanakaistoyaṃ pīṭhikopari śāyayet | prākśiraskamadhaḥsūtraṃ piṃḍikāṃ cāsya paścime

Translation

Tras verter el agua lentamente, debe recostarse sobre el pedestal. Su cabeza ha de orientarse hacia el oriente; el cordón guía se mantiene por debajo, y la base redondeada (soporte) se coloca en su lado occidental.

Word by Word

• प्रापय्य: having brought
• प्रापय्य: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्र + आप् (धातु) + णिच् + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: णिजन्त-ल्यबन्त अव्यय (causative gerund): ‘having caused to reach/bring’

• शनकैः: slowly
• शनकैः: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शनकैस् (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (adverbial instrumental form used adverbially): ‘slowly, gently’

• तोयम्: water
• तोयम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तोय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (acc sg)

• पीठिकायाम्: on the pedestal
• पीठिकायाम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पीठिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (locative), एकवचन

• उपरि: upon, on top
• उपरि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उपरि (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (indeclinable of place)

• शाययेत्: should lay (it) down
• शाययेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शी (धातु) + णिच्
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; णिजन्त (causative): ‘should cause to lie/place’

• प्राक्: eastward
• प्राक्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्राक् (अव्यय)
• Form: दिक्-देशवाचक-अव्यय (directional indeclinable): ‘towards east/before’

• शिरस्कम्: head (end)
• शिरस्कम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (acc sg); adverbial use: ‘with head (placed)’

• अधः: below
• अधः: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अधः (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (below/downwards)

• सूत्रम्: cord, thread
• सूत्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (acc sg)

• पिण्डिकाम्: (small) lump/ball; pedestal-knob
• पिण्डिकाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिण्डिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (acc sg)

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

• अस्य: of it/this
• अस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी, एकवचन (gen sg)

• पश्चिमे: in the west (side)
• पश्चिमे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पश्चिम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, सप्तमी (locative), एकवचन (loc sg)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that Saguna worship of Shiva must be done with steadiness and reverence—gentle abhiṣeka and correct placement express inner discipline, which purifies the pashu (bound soul) and turns attention toward Pati (Shiva).

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

The verse gives practical orientation for the Shiva Linga on its pīṭha: placing it properly and performing water-offering in an ordered way is part of orthodox linga-pūjā, where the visible form supports contemplation of the formless Lord.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform abhiṣeka slowly and mindfully, keeping the linga correctly oriented (east-facing head) on the pedestal; this pairs naturally with japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) during the offering.