Shloka 9

Pāśupata-vrata Māhātmya: Dvādaśa-Liṅga Mahāvrata, Month-wise Dravya, and Pūjā-krama

Devanagari script

च्रेअतिओन् ओफ़् अ लिङ्ग कृत्वा कनीयसं लिङ्गं स्नाप्य चन्दनवारिणा चैत्रमासादि विप्रेन्द्राः शिवलिङ्गव्रतं चरेत्

Transliteration

creation of a liṅga kṛtvā kanīyasaṃ liṅgaṃ snāpya candanavāriṇā caitramāsādi viprendrāḥ śivaliṅgavrataṃ caret

Translation

ഹേ വിപ്രേന്ദ്രന്മാരേ, ഒരു ചെറു ലിംഗം നിർമ്മിച്ച് ചന്ദനമിശ്രിത ജലത്തോടെ അതിനെ സ്നാപനം ചെയ്ത്, ചൈത്രമാസം മുതൽ ആരംഭിച്ച് ശിവലിംഗവ്രതം ആചരിക്കണം—ഈ നിയതാരാധനയാൽ പശു പതി ശിവനോടു സംയോഗം പ്രാപിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• liṅgam: a (Śiva-)Liṅga

• kṛtvā: having made

• kanīyasam: small, lesser-sized

• liṅgam: the Liṅga

• snāpya: having bathed/abluted

• candana-vāriṇā: with sandal-water (water mixed with sandal paste)

• caitra-māsa-ādi: beginning with the month of Caitra

• vipra-indrāḥ: O best among brahmins

• śiva-liṅga-vratam: the vow/observance centered on the Śiva-Liṅga

• caret: should practice/undertake

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Shiva-Linga

FAQs

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

It prescribes a practical vrata-method: create a small Liṅga and perform abhiṣeka with sandal-water, establishing regular, embodied devotion to Pati (Śiva) through a simple, accessible form of Liṅga-pūjā.

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

By centering the vrata on the Liṅga—Śiva’s aniconic, all-pervading mark—it implies Śiva as Pati, the transcendent yet immanent Lord who becomes approachable through ritual focus without reducing Him to a limited form.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

A vrata-based discipline combining pūjā and abhiṣeka (bathing the Liṅga with candana-water), functioning as a devotional sādhanā that purifies the paśu and loosens pāśa through steady observance.