Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 54

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

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Devanagari script

निधाय पुष्पं शिरसि प्रोक्षयेत्प्रोक्षणीजलैः । समभ्यर्च्य पुनः पुष्पैर्जयशब्दादिपूर्वकम्

Transliteration

nidhāya puṣpaṃ śirasi prokṣayetprokṣaṇījalaiḥ | samabhyarcya punaḥ puṣpairjayaśabdādipūrvakam

Translation

En posant une fleur sur la tête, on asperge avec l’eau consacrée de l’aspersion. Puis, en adorant de nouveau avec des fleurs, on poursuit précédé d’acclamations de bon augure telles que « Jaya ! ».

Word by Word

• nidhāya: having placed
• nidhāya: Kriya (क्रिया; पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ni-dhā (नि + धा धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund) ‘having placed’

• puṣpam: a flower
• puṣpam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puṣpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• śirasi: on the head
• śirasi: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiras (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• prokṣayet: should sprinkle
• prokṣayet: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √pra-ukṣ (प्र + उक्ष् धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; अर्थः ‘sprinkle’

• prokṣaṇī-jalaiḥ: with sprinkling water
• prokṣaṇī-jalaiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prokṣaṇī (प्रातिपदिक) + jala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘prokṣaṇyāḥ jalaiḥ’ (sprinkling-water)

• samabhyarcya: having worshipped
• samabhyarcya: Kriya (क्रिया; पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √sam-abhi-arc (सम् + अभि + अर्च् धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund) ‘having worshipped’

• punaḥ: again
• punaḥ: Kāla (काल/क्रम)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: पुनरावृत्तिवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: ‘again’)

• puṣpaiḥ: with flowers
• puṣpaiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puṣpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन

• jaya-śabda-ādi-pūrvakam: preceded by the word ‘jaya’ and the like
• jaya-śabda-ādi-pūrvakam: Prakāra (प्रकार; manner)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jaya (प्रातिपदिक) + śabda (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक) + pūrvaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म/क्रियाविशेषण), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष: ‘jayaśabda-ādi pūrvaṃ yasya’ (preceded by cries of ‘jaya’ etc.)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: nidhāya puṣpaṃ śirasi prokṣayetprokṣaṇījalaiḥ | samabhyarcya punaḥ puṣpairjayaśabdādipūrvakam

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It emphasizes śuddhi (purificatory sanctification) and bhakti (devotional reverence): the devotee humbly places a flower on the head and performs sprinkling with consecrated water, then resumes worship with joyful acclamation—signifying surrender to Pati (Śiva) and the uplifting of the mind into auspiciousness.

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

The actions described—prokṣaṇa (sprinkling), puṣpārcana (flower worship), and jaya-śabda—are standard upacāras used in Saguna Śiva worship, commonly performed before or around Liṅga-arcana to maintain ritual purity and devotional focus.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A simple puja sequence is indicated: purify with prokṣaṇī-jala, offer flowers, and recite auspicious acclamations (e.g., “Jaya Śivāya”)—which can be paired with mental japa of the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” to stabilize devotion and attention.