Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 4

लिङ्गप्रतिष्ठा-माहात्म्यम् / The Greatness of Liṅga Installation

Devanagari script

किमन्यदिह वक्तव्यं प्रतिष्ठां प्रति कारणम् । पर्तिष्ठितं शिवेनापि लिंगं वैश्वेश्वरं यतः

Transliteration

kimanyadiha vaktavyaṃ pratiṣṭhāṃ prati kāraṇam | partiṣṭhitaṃ śivenāpi liṃgaṃ vaiśveśvaraṃ yataḥ

Translation

ഇവിടെ പ്രതിഷ്ഠയുടെ കാരണവും അധികാരവും സംബന്ധിച്ച് ഇനി എന്ത് പറയണം? ഇതേ കാരണത്താൽ സ്വയം ശിവൻ വൈശ്വേശ്വര ലിംഗം പ്രതിഷ്ഠിച്ചു।

Word by Word

• kim: what
• kim: Prashna (प्रश्न)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Singular; interrogative used rhetorically

• anyat: else/other
• anyat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Singular; 'other/else'

• iha: here
• iha: Deśa (देश)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iha (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable adverb (देशवाचक)

• vaktavyam: to be said
• vaktavyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु) + tavya (कृत्)
• Form: Gerundive (तव्यत्), Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; 'to be said/should be said'

• pratiṣṭhām: installation
• pratiṣṭhām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pratiṣṭhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• prati: with regard to
• prati: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: prati (अव्यय)
• Form: Preverb/preposition-like indeclinable (उपसर्ग/निपात) meaning 'towards/with regard to'

• kāraṇam: reason/cause
• kāraṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Singular; predicate noun

• pratiṣṭhitam: established
• pratiṣṭhitam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: prati-√sthā (धातु) + kta (कृत्)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त/कर्मणि), Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; 'established'

• śivena: by Śiva
• śivena: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular

• api: also
• api: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (समुच्चय/अपि) = 'also/even'

• liṅgam: the liṅga
• liṅgam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: liṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Singular

• vaiśveśvaram: Vaiśveśvara (Lord of all)
• vaiśveśvaram: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vaiśveśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Singular; epithet qualifying liṅga

• yataḥ: because
• yataḥ: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable conjunction (हेतौ) = 'because/since'

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Viśvanātha

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Viśvanātha

Sthala Purana: The verse grounds the authority of liṅga-pratiṣṭhā by citing that even Śiva established the ‘Vaiśveśvara’ liṅga—identifying the universal lordship (viśva-īśvara) expressed through a liṅga as an archetype for devotees’ installations.

Significance: Darśana and worship of Viśvanātha grants purification and supports liberation-oriented devotion; Kashi is famed as a mokṣa-kṣetra where Śiva bestows saving grace.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Vaishveshvara Linga

FAQs

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

The verse elevates pratiṣṭhā (consecration) as a sacred, divinely sanctioned act: if Śiva Himself establishes a Liṅga, then installing and worshipping the Liṅga is affirmed as a powerful Shaiva means for grace (anugraha) and spiritual upliftment.

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

It supports Saguna worship through the Liṅga as a valid and authoritative focus for devotion—Śiva accepts worship through a consecrated form, making the Liṅga a gateway to realizing Śiva as Pati (the Lord) beyond limitation.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It implies the importance of proper Liṅga-pratiṣṭhā and regular Liṅga-pūjā; a fitting practice is daily abhiṣeka with mantra-japa (especially the Panchākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) performed with purity and devotion.