Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 32

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

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Devanagari script

हरितालादिधातूंश्च बीजगंधौषधैरपि । शिवशास्त्रोक्तविधिना क्षिपेद्ब्रह्मशिलोपरि

Transliteration

haritālādidhātūṃśca bījagaṃdhauṣadhairapi | śivaśāstroktavidhinā kṣipedbrahmaśilopari

Translation

ഹരിതാലം മുതലായ ധാതുക്കളും, വിത്തുകളും, സുഗന്ധദ്രവ്യങ്ങളും, ഔഷധസസ്യങ്ങളും—ശിവശാസ്ത്രത്തിൽ പറഞ്ഞിരിക്കുന്ന വിധിപ്രകാരം—ബ്രഹ്മശിലയുടെ മേൽ നിക്ഷേപിക്കണം.

Word by Word

• haritāla-ādi-dhātūn: minerals such as orpiment
• haritāla-ādi-dhātūn: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: haritāla (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक) + dhātu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), बहुवचन; ‘haritāla-ādi’ कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-प्रायः + dhātu; समासार्थः ‘haritāla etc. minerals’

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

• bīja-gandha-auṣadhaiḥ: with seeds, fragrances, and herbs
• bīja-gandha-auṣadhaiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bīja (प्रातिपदिक) + gandha (प्रातिपदिक) + auṣadhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (bīja + gandha + auṣadhi)

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-कारक-अव्यय (particle: ‘also/even’)

• śiva-śāstra-ukta-vidhinā: by the procedure stated in the Śiva-śāstra
• śiva-śāstra-ukta-vidhinā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक) + śāstra (प्रातिपदिक) + ukta (कृदन्त; √vac वच् धातु) + vidhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष: ‘śivaśāstre uktaḥ vidhiḥ’

• kṣipet: should place/throw
• kṣipet: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṣip (क्षिप् धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• brahma-śilā-upari: upon the Brahma-stone
• brahma-śilā-upari: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: brahma-śilā (प्रातिपदिक; समास) + upari (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास: ‘brahmaśilāyāḥ upari’ (locative sense); upari = स्थानवाचक-अव्यय

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Consecratory ‘garbha-nyāsa’ logic: embedding minerals, seeds, fragrances, and herbs upon the brahma-śilā sacralizes matter (māyā) into a Śiva-oriented support, transforming pāśa into an instrument of worship.

Shakti Dimension

Role: creative

Ritual Elements

Offering: dhupa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse emphasizes that offerings become spiritually efficacious when made with disciplined adherence to Śiva-śāstra (revealed Shaiva injunctions). In Shaiva Siddhanta terms, right method (vidhi) refines the devotee’s intent and aligns the act of worship toward Pati (Śiva), loosening pāśa (bondage) through purified karma and devotion.

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

By instructing that specific substances be placed upon the Brahma-śilā according to Śiva’s prescribed procedure, the verse points to formal Saguna worship—where Śiva is approached through consecrated supports (such as a sacred slab/altar and ritual materials) culminating in Linga-oriented pūjā performed as scripture directs.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A structured pūjā-vidhi is implied: assembling sanctioned materials (minerals, seeds, fragrances, herbs) and offering/placing them on the sacred ritual base (Brahma-śilā) exactly as taught in Shaiva texts—supporting focused devotion, mantra-recitation, and orderly worship rather than improvisation.