Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 16

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

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Devanagari script

तत्रापि शयनस्थानं कुर्यान्मंडलमध्यतः । शुद्धैर्जलैः स्नापयित्वा लिंगमभ्यर्चयेत्क्रमात्

Transliteration

tatrāpi śayanasthānaṃ kuryānmaṃḍalamadhyataḥ | śuddhairjalaiḥ snāpayitvā liṃgamabhyarcayetkramāt

Translation

Là encore, on doit préparer un lieu de repos au centre même du maṇḍala consacré. Après avoir baigné le Liṅga avec des eaux pures, on doit ensuite l’adorer selon l’ordre prescrit du rite.

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (स्थानवाचक अव्यय/adverb of place)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात/particle; additive/emphatic)

• शयनस्थानम्: a sleeping-place
• शयनस्थानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शयन-स्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (शयनस्य स्थानम्)

• कुर्यात्: should make
• कुर्यात्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• मण्डलमध्यतः: from the middle of the circle
• मण्डलमध्यतः: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मण्डल-मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त/ablatival adverb ‘-तः’); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (मण्डलस्य मध्यः)

• शुद्धैः: with pure
• शुद्धैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (जलैः)

• जलैः: waters
• जलैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन

• स्नापयित्वा: having bathed (it)
• स्नापयित्वा: Kriyā (पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्नापय् (धातु, णिच् causative of स्ना)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वक्रिया; ‘having bathed/washed (someone/something)’

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

• अभ्यर्चयेत्: should worship
• अभ्यर्चयेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-√अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• क्रमात्: in due order
• क्रमात्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (पञ्चमी-एकवचनरूपेण क्रियाविशेषणम्/adverbial ablative)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Centers the liṅga in the maṇḍala: symbolically establishing Śiva as the axis (bindu) of sacred space; abhiṣeka with pure waters is a principal purifier and merit-generator.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Shiva (Linga)

FAQs

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

It emphasizes purity (śuddhi) and sacred order (krama) in approaching Śiva as Pati through the Liṅga—discipline in ritual becomes an inner discipline that steadies devotion and supports liberation-oriented worship.

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

By instructing abhiṣeka with pure water and subsequent worship, it presents the Liṅga as the accessible Saguna focus through which the devotee reveres the transcendent Śiva, aligning outer acts with inner reverence.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Prepare a sanctified center (maṇḍala), perform jalābhiṣeka (bathing the Liṅga with pure water), then worship step-by-step—ideally accompanied by mantra-japa such as the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) as part of the ordered rite.