Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 18

लिङ्ग-बेर-प्रतिष्ठाविधिः / The Procedure for Installing the Liṅga and the Bera

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Devanagari script

वेदीमध्ये सितं पद्मं परिकल्प्य विधानतः । तस्य पश्चिमतश्चापि चंडिकापद्ममालिखेत्

Transliteration

vedīmadhye sitaṃ padmaṃ parikalpya vidhānataḥ | tasya paścimataścāpi caṃḍikāpadmamālikhet

Translation

വേദിയുടെ മദ്ധ്യത്തിൽ വിധിപ്രകാരം ശ്വേതപദ്മം ഒരുക്കി; അതിന്റെ പടിഞ്ഞാറ് ചണ്ഡികാദേവിയുടെ പദ്മാസനവും വരയ്ക്കണം।

Word by Word

• वेदी-मध्ये: in the middle of the altar
• वेदी-मध्ये: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेदी (प्रातिपदिक) + मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (वेद्याः मध्ये); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन

• सितम्: white
• सितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (padmaṃ)

• पद्मम्: lotus
• पद्मम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• परिकल्प्य: having arranged
• परिकल्प्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि + कल्प् (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund), ‘having arranged/constructed’

• विधानतः: according to the prescribed method
• विधानतः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विधान (प्रातिपदिक) + तस् (तसिल्)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय, ‘according to rule/ritual injunction’

• तस्य: of that/of it
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन

• पश्चिमतः: on the western side
• पश्चिमतः: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पश्चिम (प्रातिपदिक) + तस् (तसिल्)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय, दिशावाचक (directional adverb: ‘to the west/of the western side’)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयार्थक

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय/अपि-अर्थ (also/even)

• चण्डिका-पद्मम्: the lotus (diagram) of Caṇḍikā
• चण्डिका-पद्मम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चण्डिका (प्रातिपदिक) + पद्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (चण्डिकायाः पद्मम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• आलिखेत्: should draw/inscribe
• आलिखेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + लिख् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Caṇḍikā

Role: destructive

Characters & Entities

• Chandika

FAQs

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

It sanctifies the worship-space by placing purity (the white lotus) at the center and honoring Śakti (Caṇḍikā) in ordered relation to the rite—affirming the Śaiva Siddhānta insight that Śiva’s grace is approached through disciplined worship supported by Śakti.

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

The verse is part of pūjā-vidhi: before approaching Saguna Śiva in worship (such as the Liṅga), the altar is structured with symbolic seats/diagrams, aligning the devotee’s mind and the ritual field so the invocation and offerings become properly directed.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It suggests a precise vedi/maṇḍala arrangement: prepare a central white lotus and draw Caṇḍikā’s lotus to the west—used as a meditative visual support and as a procedural step before mantra-japa and formal Śaiva offerings.