Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 69

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

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Devanagari script

पूजां च महतीं कुर्याद्देवमावाह्य पूर्ववत् । अलब्धे स्थापिते लिंगे शिवस्थाने जले ऽथ वा

Transliteration

pūjāṃ ca mahatīṃ kuryāddevamāvāhya pūrvavat | alabdhe sthāpite liṃge śivasthāne jale 'tha vā

Translation

മുമ്പുപോലെ ദേവനെ ആവാഹനം ചെയ്ത് മഹത്തായ പൂജ നടത്തണം. പ്രതിഷ്ഠിത ലിംഗം ലഭ്യമല്ലെങ്കിൽ ശിവസ്ഥാനത്തിൽ, അല്ലെങ്കിൽ ജലത്തിലുമെങ്കിലും പൂജ ചെയ്യാം।

Word by Word

• pūjām: worship
• pūjām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pūjā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• ca: and
• ca: Avyaya (Indeclinable/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction

• mahatīm: great
• mahatīm: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• kuryāt: should perform
• kuryāt: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Potential Mood (विधिलिङ्), Parasmaipada, 3rd Person, Singular

• devam: the deity
• devam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• āvāhya: having invoked
• āvāhya: Kriya-visheshana (Adverb/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ā-vah (धातु)
• Form: Gerund (ल्यप् प्रत्यय)

• pūrvavat: as before
• pūrvavat: Kriya-visheshana (Adverb/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pūrvavat (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb of manner

• alabdhe: when not obtained
• alabdhe: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-labdha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• sthāpite: when established
• sthāpite: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sthāpita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• liṃge: in the Linga
• liṃge: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: liṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• śivasthāne: in the place of Shiva
• śivasthāne: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva-sthāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• jale: in water
• jale: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• atha: then or
• atha: Avyaya (Indeclinable/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction

• vā: or
• vā: Avyaya (Indeclinable/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Generalized sthala principle: if no consecrated liṅga is available, Śiva may be approached in any Śiva-kṣetra (śivasthāna) or even through jalādhāra (water) as an accessible support (ālambana) for worship.

Significance: Affirms Śiva’s universal accessibility: devotion and correct invocation can substitute for lack of a formal pratimā/liṅga, emphasizing anugraha over material limitation.

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Linga

FAQs

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

It teaches that Śiva’s grace is accessible through proper invocation and devotion; even without a formally consecrated Liṅga, worship can be valid when performed in a Śiva-sanctified place or with water as a pure support for worship.

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

The Liṅga is affirmed as a primary Saguna support for worship, yet the verse broadens the method: when a consecrated Liṅga is not at hand, Śiva may still be worshipped through sanctioned alternatives (Śiva-sthāna or water) after due āvāhana (invocation).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform āvāhana (invocation) and then conduct ‘pūrvavat’ worship—i.e., the previously taught Shiva-pūjā sequence; if needed, use a Śiva-sacred site or water as the worship-support, accompanied by mantra-japa such as the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya).