Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 29

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

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Devanagari script

आचार्यात्पादमर्धं वा होत्ःणां स्थपतेरपि । तदर्धं देयमन्येभ्यः सदस्येभ्यश्च शक्तितः

Transliteration

ācāryātpādamardhaṃ vā hotḥṇāṃ sthapaterapi | tadardhaṃ deyamanyebhyaḥ sadasyebhyaśca śaktitaḥ

Translation

യോഗ്യമായ ദക്ഷിണയിൽ നിന്ന് ആചാര്യന് പാദഭാഗമോ അർദ്ധഭാഗമോ നൽകണം; അതുപോലെ ഹോതൃ പുരോഹിതർക്കും സ്ഥപതിക്കും. ആ പങ്കിന്റെ പകുതി തന്റെ ശേഷിയനുസരിച്ച് മറ്റു ഋത്വിക്കുകൾക്കും സഭാസദ പണ്ഡിതർക്കും നൽകണം.

Word by Word

• आचार्यात्: from the ācārya (teacher-priest)
• आचार्यात्: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आचार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (अपादान), एकवचन

• पादम्: a quarter share
• पादम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; परिमाणार्थे (a quarter/portion)

• अर्धम्: half (share)
• अर्धम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; परिमाणार्थे (half)

• वा: or
• वा: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-निपात (or)

• होतॄणाम्: of the hotṛ-priests
• होतॄणाम्: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: होतृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• स्थपतेः: of the sthapati (superintendent)
• स्थपतेः: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थपति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अपि: also
• अपि: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अप्यर्थक-निपात (also/even)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (अर्धम् इति)

• अर्धम्: half of that
• अर्धम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• देयम्: should be given
• देयम्: Vidhi (विधि)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु) (कृदन्त)
• Form: तव्यत्/यत्-प्रत्ययान्त, नपुंसकलिङ्ग प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; विधेयार्थः ‘to be given/should be given’

• अन्येभ्यः: to the others
• अन्येभ्यः: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (सम्प्रदान), बहुवचन

• सदस्येभ्यः: to the members (assistants)
• सदस्येभ्यः: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सदस्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात

• शक्तितः: according to capacity
• शक्तितः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb): ‘according to ability’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Teaches dharmic redistribution within śaiva ritual economy: honoring ācārya and ṛtviks sustains śāstra-transmission and correct performance, which is itself a vehicle of Śiva’s anugraha.

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

FAQs

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

It teaches dharmic redistribution: honoring the ācārya and principal priests first, then supporting the wider sacred assembly according to one’s means—purifying wealth through righteous giving in a Shaiva setting.

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

In Linga-centered worship and Shaiva rites, dakṣiṇā offered with devotion sustains the ordained ritual order; honoring teachers and officiants is treated as service to Saguna Shiva manifest in the sacrificial and temple tradition.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to offer appropriate dakṣiṇā after Shiva worship or yajna—prioritizing the ācārya and chief priests, then giving to other qualified participants as capacity allows.