Shiva Purana — Vidyesvara Samhita, Shloka 36

Pārthiva-Śiva-liṅga-māhātmya

The Excellence of the Earthen Śiva Liṅga

Devanagari script

अखंडे तु चरे पूजा सम्पूर्णफलदायिनी । द्विखंडे तु चरे पूजामहाहानिप्रदा स्मृता

Transliteration

akhaṃḍe tu care pūjā sampūrṇaphaladāyinī | dvikhaṃḍe tu care pūjāmahāhānipradā smṛtā

Translation

Lorsque l’adoration est accomplie sur le liṅga intact, elle confère un fruit complet et parfait. Mais l’adoration faite sur ce qui est brisé ou divisé est tenue pour produire une grande perte (de mérite et d’efficacité spirituelle).

Word by Word

• akhaṇḍe: in the unbroken (liṅga)
• akhaṇḍe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: akhaṇḍa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (सप्तमी/7), Singular (एकवचन); 'in/with the unbroken (liṅga)'

• tu: but, indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/contrast marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), indeclinable; contrast/emphasis

• care: in the movable (liṅga)
• care: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (सप्तमी/7), Singular (एकवचन); 'in/with the movable (liṅga)'

• pūjā: worship
• pūjā: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pūjā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• sampūrṇa-phala-dāyinī: granting complete results
• sampūrṇa-phala-dāyinī: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृसमानााधिकरण/predicate of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sampūrṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + phala (प्रातिपदिक) + dāyinī (प्रातिपदिक from √dā दा)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); predicate adjective agreeing with pūjā

• dvikhaṇḍe: in the two-part (liṅga)
• dvikhaṇḍe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dvi (प्रातिपदिक) + khaṇḍa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (सप्तमी/7), Singular (एकवचन); 'in/with the two-part (liṅga)'

• tu: but
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/contrast marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), indeclinable; contrast/emphasis

• care: in the movable (liṅga)
• care: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (सप्तमी/7), Singular (एकवचन); 'in/with the movable (liṅga)' (as in text; contextually may contrast with sthāvara)

• pūjā-mahā-hāni-pradā: causing great loss in worship / causing great loss (as a result of worship)
• pūjā-mahā-hāni-pradā: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृसमानााधिकरण/predicate of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pūjā (प्रातिपदिक) + mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + hāni (प्रातिपदिक) + pradā (प्रातिपदिक from √dā दा)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); predicate adjective agreeing with pūjā (understood): 'worship (is) causing great loss'

• smṛtā: is said/considered
• smṛtā: Kriyā (क्रिया/predicative participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: smṛta (कृदन्त/ppp from √smṛ स्मृ)
• Form: Past passive participle used predicatively (भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त), Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); agreeing with pūjā (understood): 'is considered/said'

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: General doctrine of ritual integrity: akhaṇḍa (unbroken/continuous) worship yields full phala; broken/divided yields hāni.

Significance: Teaches that continuity and wholeness in worship (both in implement and performance) safeguards merit and accelerates spiritual benefit.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that steadiness (akhaṇḍatā) in Shiva-worship preserves the full spiritual potency of the act, while broken attention and interrupted observance diminishes the merit and inner transformation that puja is meant to produce.

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

Linga-puja is a Saguna form of approaching Pati (Lord Shiva). The verse emphasizes that the offering of mantra, water, bilva, and reverent attention should be continuous and orderly, because the devotee’s uninterrupted bhakti is what makes the external rite spiritually complete.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Maintain an unbroken flow of worship—keep the japa of the Panchakshara ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya") steady and avoid leaving the puja midway; if performing abhiṣeka, do it with continuous remembrance and focused mind rather than scattered, stop-start attention.