Shloka 18

Vibhaga 1, Adhyaya 74 — ब्रह्मप्रोक्तलिङ्गार्चनविधिः

Materials, Classes, and Fruits of Linga-Worship

Devanagari script

मृन्मयं चैव विप्रेन्द्राः सर्वसिद्धिकरं शुभम् शैलजं चोत्तमं प्रोक्तं मध्यमं चैव धातुजम्

Transliteration

mṛnmayaṃ caiva viprendrāḥ sarvasiddhikaraṃ śubham śailajaṃ cottamaṃ proktaṃ madhyamaṃ caiva dhātujam

Translation

ഹേ വിപ്രേന്ദ്രന്മാരേ! മൃൺമയ (മണ്ണിലെ) ലിംഗം ശുഭവും സർവ്വസിദ്ധികരവും ആകുന്നു. ശൈലജ ലിംഗം ഉത്തമമെന്ന് പ്രസ്താവിക്കുന്നു; ധാതുജ ലിംഗം മധ്യമമെന്ന് പറയുന്നു.

Word by Word

• मृन्मयम्: made of clay/earth

• च एव: and indeed

• विप्रेन्द्राः: O lords among Brahmins

• सर्वसिद्धिकरम्: bestowing all attainments (siddhis)

• शुभम्: auspicious

• शैलजम्: born of stone/rock-made

• च: and

• उत्तमम्: highest/excellent

• प्रोक्तम्: declared/said

• मध्यमम्: middling/medium

• च एव: and indeed

• धातुजम्: made of metal/mineral (alloy/ore-born)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

What is the importance of this verse in the context of Linga worship?

It ranks common Linga materials and links them to spiritual fruit: clay is praised as auspicious and siddhi-giving, stone is stated as the सर्वोत्तम (highest), and metal is placed as मध्यम (middle), guiding devotees in choosing a worship-form.

How does this verse describe the nature of Shiva (Shiva-tattva)?

By allowing Shiva’s worship to be fully effective through multiple material supports, it implies that Pati (Shiva) is not confined to any substance; through proper bhakti and vidhi, the Linga becomes a valid locus for Shiva’s anugraha (grace) upon the pashu (individual soul).

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

It highlights Linga-puja with a properly chosen and installed Linga (especially stone), oriented toward siddhi and auspiciousness—supporting a Pashupata-aligned discipline where purity, worship, and Shiva’s grace loosen pasha (bondage).