Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 38

लिङ्गप्रतिष्ठा-माहात्म्यम् / The Greatness of Liṅga Installation

Devanagari script

वाराहममितं रूपमस्थाय गतवानधः । एवं वर्षसहस्रं तु त्वरन् विष्णुरधोगतः

Transliteration

vārāhamamitaṃ rūpamasthāya gatavānadhaḥ | evaṃ varṣasahasraṃ tu tvaran viṣṇuradhogataḥ

Translation

Revêtant la forme incommensurable du Sanglier (Varāha), Viṣṇu descendit vers les profondeurs. Ainsi, se hâtant, il poursuivit sa descente durant mille ans.

Word by Word

• वाराहम्: boar (as); boar-form
• वाराहम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वाराह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘वराहसम्बन्धि/वराहरूप’ (neut. acc. sg.)

• अमितम्: immeasurable
• अमितम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अमित (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक; √मा, क्त; नञ्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (neut. acc. sg.)

• रूपम्: form
• रूपम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन (neut. acc. sg.)

• आस्थाय: having assumed
• आस्थाय: Purvakala-Kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), ‘having assumed/taken’

• गतवान्: went
• गतवान्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्तवतु (past active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन (masc. nom. sg.)

• अधः: downwards
• अधः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अधः (अव्यय)
• Form: दिशा/स्थान-अव्यय (adverb: downward)

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Discourse/Modifier (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकार-अव्यय (adverb: thus)

• वर्ष-सहस्रम्: a thousand years
• वर्ष-सहस्रम्: Kala-adhikarana (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास: ‘सहस्रं वर्षाणि’ (neut. acc. sg.)

• तु: but; and
• तु: Discourse/Contrast (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषण निपात (particle)

• त्वरन्: hastening
• त्वरन्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: त्वर् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन (masc. nom. sg.)

• विष्णुः: Vishnu
• विष्णुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन (masc. nom. sg.)

• अधो-गतः: gone downward
• अधो-गतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधः (अव्यय) + गत (कृदन्त; √गम्, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; अव्ययीभाव: ‘अधः गतः’ (masc. nom. sg.)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Liṅgodbhava

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Episode belongs to the Liṅgodbhava revelation: Viṣṇu (as Varāha) descends to find the base of the infinite Liṅga and fails, establishing the Liṅga as beginningless and endless and the gods as limited knowers under Śiva’s māyā.

Significance: Contemplation of the anādi-ananta Liṅga cultivates humility and turns the seeker from pramāṇa-based pride to śaraṇāgati (seeking grace).

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Theophany of the ananta-liṅga (Liṅgodbhava) revealing the immeasurable axis of reality beyond deva-limits.

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Varaha

FAQs

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

It highlights the Shaiva teaching that the Supreme (Pati, Śiva) is truly immeasurable—even a mighty deity like Viṣṇu, taking a vast Varāha form, cannot reach the ultimate limit by mere effort, pointing seekers toward humility and surrender.

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

The narrative commonly frames the Linga as the sign of Śiva’s boundlessness: searching “downward” symbolizes attempting to grasp the Absolute by external measurement, whereas Linga-worship turns the mind to the limitless Saguna symbol that indicates the Nirguna reality beyond endpoints.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is contemplative japa of the Panchākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with the attitude of surrender, recognizing the limits of egoic striving and aligning oneself with Śiva’s infinite nature.