Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 12

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

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Devanagari script

स्नापयित्वा समभ्यर्च्य लिंगं वेदिकया सह । सकूर्चाभ्यां तु वस्त्राभ्यां समावेष्ट्यं समंततः

Transliteration

snāpayitvā samabhyarcya liṃgaṃ vedikayā saha | sakūrcābhyāṃ tu vastrābhyāṃ samāveṣṭyaṃ samaṃtataḥ

Translation

Après avoir baigné et honoré comme il se doit le Śiva-liṅga avec sa vedikā (socle), qu’on l’enveloppe de toutes parts de deux étoffes munies de bordure (kūrcha).

Word by Word

• स्नापयित्वा: having bathed (it)
• स्नापयित्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना (धातु) णिच् (प्रेरण)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय-क्रियाविशेषण (gerund), causative: ‘having bathed/caused to bathe’

• समभ्यर्च्य: having worshipped
• समभ्यर्च्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्च् (धातु) उपसर्गः सम्+अभि; (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय-क्रियाविशेषण (gerund)

• लिङ्गम्: the liṅga
• लिङ्गम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वेदिकया: with the altar (vedikā)
• वेदिकया: Sahakāraka/Instrument (करण/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेदिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (instrumental)

• सह: together with
• सह: Saha (सह)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: सह-योगे अव्ययम् (preposition-like indeclinable)

• स: with
• स: Upapada (उपपद)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स (अव्यय/उपसर्गसदृश)
• Form: सह-अर्थक उपपद (prefix-like ‘with’)

• कूर्चाभ्याम्: with two kūrca-bundles
• कूर्चाभ्याम्: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कूर्च (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, द्विवचन (instrumental dual)

• तु: indeed
• तु: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण/विरोधार्थक-निपात (particle: ‘but/indeed’)

• वस्त्राभ्याम्: with two cloths
• वस्त्राभ्याम्: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, द्विवचन (instrumental dual)

• समावेष्ट्यम्: (it) should be wrapped
• समावेष्ट्यम्: Vidhi (विधि)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आवेष्ट् (धातु) उपसर्गः सम्+आ; (कृदन्त)
• Form: ल्यप्/तव्यत्-प्रायः कर्मणि विधेय-भावः; नपुंसक एकवचन (predicative): ‘to be wrapped/should be wrapped’

• समन्ततः: on all sides
• समन्ततः: Deśādhikaraṇa (देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: समन्ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Liṅga-snāpana and arcana enact purification and receptivity: the Lord (Pati) is approached through symbol and rite, and grace is invited through disciplined service to liṅga and pīṭha together.

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: oṃ namaḥ śivāya

Type: panchakshara

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Linga

FAQs

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

It teaches reverent, ordered worship of the Liṅga—first purification (snāna/abhiṣeka), then adoration (arcana), and finally protective covering—showing that outer ritual discipline supports inner devotion to Pati (Śiva) and steadies the mind toward grace.

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

The Liṅga with its vedikā is treated as the tangible focus of Saguna devotion: bathing and worship are acts of service (sevā) to Śiva’s manifest presence, through which the devotee approaches the formless reality with a concentrated, respectful practice.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform Liṅga abhiṣeka, then arcana, and finally cover the Liṅga and base neatly with clean cloths; while doing so, maintain mantra-japa (especially the Pañcākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with a steady, devotional awareness.