Shloka 25

Liṅga-pratiṣṭhāvidhiḥ — Installation Standards and Auspicious Parameters for Liṅga Worship

Devanagari script

इति संस्थापयेल्लिंगं साक्षाच्छिवपदप्रदम् । अथवा चरलिंगं तु षोडशैरुपचारकैः

Transliteration

iti saṃsthāpayelliṃgaṃ sākṣācchivapadapradam | athavā caraliṃgaṃ tu ṣoḍaśairupacārakaiḥ

Translation

ഇങ്ങനെ സാക്ഷാൽ ശിവപദം (മോക്ഷം) നൽകുന്ന ലിംഗം സ്ഥാപിക്കണം. അല്ലെങ്കിൽ ചരലിംഗത്തെ ഷോഡശോപചാരങ്ങളാൽ പൂജിക്കണം.

Word by Word

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Quotative particle (इति-कार)

• saṃsthāpayet: should स्थापित/establish
• saṃsthāpayet: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-√sthā (स्था धातु) [causative sense]
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• liṅgam: the liṅga
• liṅgam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: liṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• sākṣāt: directly / manifestly
• sākṣāt: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sākṣāt (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (प्रत्यक्षार्थक अव्यय)

• śiva-pada-pradam: granting the state of Śiva
• śiva-pada-pradam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक) + pada (प्रातिपदिक) + prada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); adjective qualifying liṅgam; तत्पुरुष ‘giver of Śiva’s state/abode’

• athavā: or else
• athavā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/alternative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha + vā (अव्यय)
• Form: Alternative particle (विकल्पार्थक)

• cara-liṅgam: a movable liṅga
• cara-liṅgam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cara (प्रातिपदिक) + liṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); कर्मधारय ‘movable liṅga’

• tu: but / indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (विरोध/विशेषार्थक)

• ṣoḍaśaiḥ: with sixteen
• ṣoḍaśaiḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ṣoḍaśa (प्रातिपदिक; संख्या)
• Form: Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन); numeral adjective qualifying upacārakaiḥ

• upacārakaiḥ: with offerings/services
• upacārakaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: upacāraka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Viśvanātha

Sthala Purana: Kāśī is celebrated as Śiva’s own seat where worship of the liṅga is said to yield śivapada; the text frames liṅga-pratiṣṭhā and liṅga-pūjā as direct conduits of grace.

Significance: Establishing/worshiping the liṅga is presented as sādhana leading to liberation; in Kāśī, this is intensified by the kṣetra’s mokṣa-repute.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that establishing and worshipping the Śiva-liṅga is a direct means to attain Śiva-pada—liberation understood in Shaiva Siddhanta as Śiva’s grace removing bondage (pāśa) and granting nearness to the Lord.

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

The verse affirms Saguna worship through the liṅga as a valid and potent doorway to realizing Śiva: either through a fixed, consecrated liṅga (sthāvara) or a personal movable liṅga (cara) worshipped with prescribed offerings.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It recommends liṅga-sthāpana (proper installation/consecration) or, alternatively, daily cara-liṅga pūjā using the sixteen upacāras—structured devotional service that can be accompanied by japa such as the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya).