Shloka 19

Pārthiva-Śiva-liṅga Saṃkhyā-vidhāna

Enumeration and Procedure of Earthen Liṅga Worship

Devanagari script

सहस्राणि पंचपंचाशदपुत्रः प्रकारयेत् । लिंगानामयुतेनैव कन्यकासंततिं लभेत्

Transliteration

sahasrāṇi paṃcapaṃcāśadaputraḥ prakārayet | liṃgānāmayutenaiva kanyakāsaṃtatiṃ labhet

Translation

जिसके पुत्र नहीं है, वह पचपन हजार (शिव)लिङ्गों का निर्माण कराए। और केवल दस हजार लिङ्गों (की उपासना) से कन्याओं की संतति प्राप्त करता है।

Word by Word

• सहस्राणि: thousands (of times/units)
• सहस्राणि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (count-object)

• पञ्च-पञ्चाशत्: fifty-five
• पञ्च-पञ्चाशत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्च (प्रातिपदिक) + पञ्चाशत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (पञ्चाशत्-शब्दः), द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; संख्यावाचकः; द्वन्द्व-समासः (5 and 50 = 55)

• अपुत्रः: sonless (man)
• अपुत्रः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नञ्-समास/उपसर्ग-युक्त विशेषण (one without a son)

• प्रकारयेत्: should have performed / should cause to be done (in full)
• प्रकारयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) [प्र + णिच् causative: प्रकारय-]
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; उपसर्गः—प्र; णिच्-प्रयोगः

• लिङ्गानाम्: of the liṅgas
• लिङ्गानाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

• अयुतेन: by/with ten thousand
• अयुतेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अयुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; संख्यावाचक-शब्दः

• एव: indeed; only
• एव: Nipata (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक-निपात (particle of emphasis)

• कन्यका-संततिम्: a line of daughters / female offspring
• कन्यका-संततिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कन्यका (प्रातिपदिक) + संतति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—कन्यकानां संततिः (progeny consisting of daughters)

• लभेत्: would obtain; should obtain
• लभेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: A phala-śruti connecting liṅga-making counts with progeny outcomes: 55,000 liṅgas for a sonless man to obtain a son; 10,000 liṅgas for obtaining a lineage of daughters. It reflects householders’ dharmic aims addressed through Śiva-upāsanā.

Significance: Positions Śiva-liṅga worship as a gṛhastha-supporting practice for lineage continuity; in Siddhānta terms, it is a laukika-siddhi that can mature into deeper devotion and eligibility for higher anugraha.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: creative

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Linga

FAQs

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

The verse teaches that sincere, disciplined service to Śiva through liṅga-oriented devotion bears tangible fruits in worldly life, while also cultivating humility and surrender—key Shaiva Siddhānta qualities for purifying the bound soul (paśu) through grace (anugraha).

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

It presents the Śiva-liṅga as the accessible saguna support for devotion: by making and honoring many liṅgas, the devotee approaches Pati (Śiva) through a concrete sacred form, transforming desire into dharmic worship and receiving blessings.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It suggests liṅga-sevā: having liṅgas made and worshipping them with reverence (typically with abhiṣeka, offerings, and mantra such as the Pañcākṣarī ‘Om Namaḥ Śivāya’), especially as a vrata-like devotional discipline.