Shloka 28

स्वेच्छाविग्रहसंभव-प्रतिष्ठाफलवर्णनम् (विविधशिवमूर्तिप्रतिष्ठा, लोक-फल, शिवसायुज्य)

Devanagari script

कपालहस्तं देवेशं कृष्णकुञ्चितमूर्धजम् कृत्वा भक्त्या प्रतिष्ठाप्य शिवसायुज्यमाप्नुयात्

Transliteration

kapālahastaṃ deveśaṃ kṛṣṇakuñcitamūrdhajam kṛtvā bhaktyā pratiṣṭhāpya śivasāyujyamāpnuyāt

Translation

കപാലഹസ്തനായ ദേവേശൻ, കൃഷ്ണകുഞ്ചിത കേശധാരിയായ ശിവനെ ഭക്തിയോടെ രൂപപ്പെടുത്തി പ്രതിഷ്ഠിച്ചാൽ ഭക്തൻ ശിവസായുജ്യം (പരമ ഏകത്വം) പ്രാപിക്കുന്നു।

Word by Word

• kapāla-hastam: holding a skull in the hand

• deva-īśam: the Lord of the gods

• kṛṣṇa-kuñcita-mūrdhajam: whose hair (locks) is dark and curled

• kṛtvā: having made/fashioned

• bhaktyā: with devotion

• pratiṣṭhāpya: having installed/consecrated

• śiva-sāyujyam: union/absorption with Śiva

• āpnuyāt: one would attain

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that sincere bhakti expressed through proper consecration (pratiṣṭhā) of Śiva’s form—connected to Linga-pratiṣṭhā traditions—yields the highest fruit: Śiva-sāyujya, liberation by nearness and union with Pati.

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

Śiva is presented as Deva-īśa (Pati, the sovereign Lord) whose Kapāla-hasta form signals transcendence over fear and death; approaching Him through devotion leads the pashu (individual soul) beyond pāśa (bondage) into sāyujya.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The verse highlights pratiṣṭhā (ritual installation/consecration) performed with bhakti; as a Shaiva sādhanā, it aligns outer worship with inner Pashupata orientation—turning the mind toward Śiva as the sole liberating Pati.