Shloka 37

Dāruvana-parīkṣā: Śaṅkara’s Test and the Linga’s Ritual-Theological Grounding

Devanagari script

गिरिजां योनिरूपां च बाणं स्थाप्य शुभं पुनः । तत्र लिंगं च तत्स्थाप्यं पुनश्चैवाभिमंत्रयेत्

Transliteration

girijāṃ yonirūpāṃ ca bāṇaṃ sthāpya śubhaṃ punaḥ | tatra liṃgaṃ ca tatsthāpyaṃ punaścaivābhimaṃtrayet

Translation

വീണ്ടും മംഗളമായി ഗിരിജയുടെ യോനിരൂപ പീഠിക സ്ഥാപിച്ച്, അതിന്മേൽ ബാണം (ലിംഗശില) സ്ഥാപിക്കുക. അവിടെ ലിംഗം പ്രതിഷ്ഠിച്ച് വീണ്ടും മന്ത്രങ്ങളാൽ അഭിമന്ത്രണം ചെയ്യുക.

Word by Word

• गिरिजाम्: Girijā (Pārvatī)
• गिरिजाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गिरिजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• योनि-रूपाम्: having the form of the yoni
• योनि-रूपाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: योनि (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (गिरिजाम्)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• बाणम्: the arrow/shaft (bāṇa)
• बाणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• स्थाप्य: having placed
• स्थाप्य: Kriya (क्रिया; पूर्वकर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), ‘having placed/established’

• शुभम्: auspicious
• शुभम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (बाणम्)

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: काल/पुनरावृत्ति-अव्यय (adverb)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देश-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• लिङ्गम्: liṅga
• लिङ्गम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• तत्-स्थाप्यम्: should be placed there
• तत्-स्थाप्यम्: Kriya (क्रिया; विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + स्थाप्य (कृदन्त; √स्था धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधेय/आज्ञार्थ-भाव: ‘it is to be placed’ (gerundive/तव्यत्-अर्थ)

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: पुनरावृत्ति-अव्यय (adverb)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (particle of emphasis)

• अभिमन्त्रयेत्: should consecrate/chant over
• अभिमन्त्रयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि + मन्त्र् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Emphasizes the inseparability of Śiva and Śakti in iconography and worship: liṅga (Śiva) established upon yoni-pīṭha (Śakti) for completeness of the rite and auspiciousness.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: creative

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati

FAQs

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

It presents the Liṅga as Saguna Śiva—Śiva made accessible for devotion—installed upon the yoni-form base of Girijā, indicating the inseparable unity of Śiva-Śakti and the auspicious grounding of worship through mantra-consecration.

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

The verse is explicitly procedural: place the yoni (pīṭha), set the bāṇa-liṅga, then establish the Liṅga and sanctify it with mantras—showing that Saguna worship is performed through proper स्थापना (installation) and अभिमन्त्रण (mantric invocation).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It suggests a consecration step: after placing the pedestal and Liṅga, one should recite mantras again (abhimantrayet), typically centered on Śiva-mantras such as the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) during Liṅga-pūjā.