Shloka 48

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

Devanagari script

एकं दशार्णं मंत्रं च शतोनं च तदूर्ध्वकम् । अयुतं च सहस्रं च शतमेकं विना भवेत्

Transliteration

ekaṃ daśārṇaṃ maṃtraṃ ca śatonaṃ ca tadūrdhvakam | ayutaṃ ca sahasraṃ ca śatamekaṃ vinā bhavet

Translation

ദശാക്ഷര മന്ത്രത്തിന് ജപസംഖ്യ നൂറും അതിനുമേലും നിശ്ചയിക്കണം; പത്തായിരം, ആയിരം, അല്ലെങ്കിൽ നൂറ്റൊന്ന് എന്നും വിധിയുണ്ട്—പൂർണ്ണമായ നിശ്ചിത സംഖ്യയില്ലാതെ ജപം ചെയ്യരുത്.

Word by Word

• एकम्: one
• एकम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; संख्याविशेषण

• दशार्णम्: ten-syllabled
• दशार्णम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दश-अर्ण (प्रातिपदिक; दश + अर्ण)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; संख्यात्मक-समास (ten-syllabled/ten-lettered)

• मन्त्रम्: mantra
• मन्त्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction: and)

• शतोनम्: a hundred less
• शतोनम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शत-ऊन (प्रातिपदिक; शत + ऊन)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (less by a hundred)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक

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

• ऊर्ध्वकम्: above that
• ऊर्ध्वकम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ऊर्ध्वक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (higher/above)

• अयुतम्: ten thousand
• अयुतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अयुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; संख्यावाचक (ten-thousand)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक

• सहस्रम्: a thousand
• सहस्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; संख्यावाचक (thousand)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक

• शतम्: a hundred
• शतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; संख्यावाचक (hundred)

• एकम्: one
• एकम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (one)

• विना: without
• विना: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विना (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपसर्गसदृश-निपात (preposition/adverb: without), द्वितीयार्थ-योग्य

• भवेत्: should be/occur
• भवेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that Shiva-mantra practice should be disciplined and complete—japa is not casual repetition but a deliberate spiritual observance that purifies the pashu (bound soul) through steadiness and measure.

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

In Saguna Shiva worship—especially before the Linga—mantra-japa is offered as an upachara (devotional service). Fixed counts (like 101, 1000, or 10000) make the offering intentional, mirroring the orderliness of ritual worship.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform Shiva-mantra japa with a definite count (e.g., 101/1000/10000), ideally with sankalpa and steadiness; use a mala for counting and keep the mind aligned to Shiva while repeating the mantra.