Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 61

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

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Devanagari script

यजेत्तत्र शिवं तेषां प्रतिष्ठा न विधीयते । दग्धं श्लथं क्षतांगं च क्षिपेल्लिंगं जलाशये

Transliteration

yajettatra śivaṃ teṣāṃ pratiṣṭhā na vidhīyate | dagdhaṃ ślathaṃ kṣatāṃgaṃ ca kṣipelliṃgaṃ jalāśaye

Translation

അവിടെയായി അവയുടെ സമീപത്ത് ശിവനെ പൂജിക്കണം; അത്തരം ലിംഗങ്ങൾക്ക് (പുതിയ) പ്രതിഷ്ഠ നിർദ്ദേശിക്കപ്പെട്ടിട്ടില്ല. എന്നാൽ ലിംഗം ദഗ്ധമായോ, ശ്ലഥമായോ, ഭഗ്നാവയവമുള്ളതായോ ആണെങ്കിൽ അത് ജലാശയത്തിൽ വിസർജ്ജിക്കണം.

Word by Word

• yajet: should worship/sacrifice
• yajet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √yaj (यज्)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (locative adverb: ‘there’)

• śivam: Śiva
• śivam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन

• teṣām: of those (liṅgas)
• teṣām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/possessive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• pratiṣṭhā: consecration/installation
• pratiṣṭhā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pratiṣṭhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation particle)

• vidhīyate: is prescribed / is performed
• vidhīyate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dhā (धा) with vi-; passive vidhīyate
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive/ātmanepada)

• dagdham: burnt
• dagdham: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dagdha (कृदन्त; √dah ‘दह्’ past passive participle)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying liṅgam)

• ślatham: loose, slack
• ślatham: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ślatha (प्रातिपदिक/विशेषण)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying liṅgam)

• kṣata-aṅgam: with damaged parts
• kṣata-aṅgam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṣata (कृदन्त; √kṣan/√kṣat ‘क्षत्’ ‘injured’) + aṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (‘क्षतं अङ्गं यस्य’) विशेषणम् (qualifying liṅgam)

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

• kṣipet: should throw/cast
• kṣipet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṣip (क्षिप्)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• liṅgam: liṅga
• liṅgam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: liṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन

• jalāśaye: in a water-reservoir/pond
• jalāśaye: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jalāśaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी, एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Establishes dharmic disposal for irreparably damaged liṅgas—immersion in water—preventing ritual impropriety while maintaining reverence.

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Linga

FAQs

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

It teaches reverence for Śiva’s emblem: worship is primary, while ritual rules ensure sacred objects are treated with purity; a damaged liṅga is respectfully returned to water rather than kept in an unfit state.

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

The liṅga is the accessible (saguṇa) support for devotion and worship; the verse preserves proper dharma around that support—continuing worship where valid, and retiring the liṅga when physically compromised.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical rite is indicated: if the liṅga is burnt/loose/broken, perform respectful immersion in a clean water body; then continue Śiva-upāsanā with a proper liṅga, supported by mantra-japa such as the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya).