Shloka 30

Pārthiva-Śiva-liṅga-māhātmya

The Excellence of the Earthen Śiva Liṅga

Devanagari script

अखंडं तु चरं लिंगं द्विखंडमचरं स्मृतम् । खंडाखंडविचारोयं सचराचरयोः स्मृतः

Transliteration

akhaṃḍaṃ tu caraṃ liṃgaṃ dvikhaṃḍamacaraṃ smṛtam | khaṃḍākhaṃḍavicāroyaṃ sacarācarayoḥ smṛtaḥ

Translation

ചര (ജംഗമ) ലിംഗം ‘അഖണ്ഡം’ എന്നും, അചര (സ്ഥാവര) ലിംഗം ‘ദ്വിഖണ്ഡം’ എന്നും സ്മൃതിയിൽ പറയുന്നു. ഖണ്ഡ–അഖണ്ഡ വിവേചനം ചര–അചര സംബന്ധമായിട്ടാണ് പ്രസ്താവിച്ചത്.

Word by Word

• अखण्डम्: unbroken
• अखण्डम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: akhaṇḍa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (predicate/attributive)

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

• चरम्: movable
• चरम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: cara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• लिङ्गम्: the liṅga
• लिङ्गम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: liṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• द्वि-खण्डम्: two-part
• द्वि-खण्डम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dvi (प्रातिपदिक/संख्या) + khaṇḍa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (द्वे खण्डे यस्य/द्विखण्डम्)

• अचरम्: immovable
• अचरम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: acara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• स्मृतम्: is said/considered
• स्मृतम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √smṛ (धातु) + ta (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मणि भावः—‘is considered/said’

• खण्ड-अखण्ड-विचारः: the consideration of ‘broken and unbroken’
• खण्ड-अखण्ड-विचारः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: khaṇḍa (प्रातिपदिक) + akhaṇḍa (प्रातिपदिक) + vicāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; द्वन्द्व-समास (खण्डश्च अखण्डश्च—तयोः विचारः)

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: Visheshya (विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• स-चर-अचरयोः: of the movable and immovable
• स-चर-अचरयोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sa (प्रातिपदिक) + cara (प्रातिपदिक) + acara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक-समाहार; षष्ठी विभक्ति (6th/षष्ठी), द्विवचन/बहुवचन-रूप (dual genitive: -योः); द्वन्द्व-समास (चरश्च अचरश्च)

• स्मृतः: is stated
• स्मृतः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √smṛ (धातु) + ta (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘is remembered/said’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Doctrinal-ritual clarification: cara (portable) liṅga should be akhaṇḍa; sthāvara (installed) liṅga is dvikhaṇḍa (liṅga with pīṭha/ādhāra as distinct parts).

Significance: Correct form safeguards ritual efficacy (kriyā-śuddhi) and supports steady daily worship; portable liṅga integrity is stressed for personal sādhana.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It distinguishes two modes of approaching Śiva: the ‘moving/undivided’ principle that pervades all existence (akhaṇḍa), and the ‘fixed/two-part’ form established for worship, helping the devotee move from outer symbol to inner realization of Śiva as the all-pervading Pati.

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

The ‘acara’ (fixed) Liṅga refers to the installed worship-form (saguṇa-upāsanā), often conceived with a base and a manifest emblem (dvikhaṇḍa). Through steady pūjā to this form, the devotee is led toward the ‘cara/akhaṇḍa’ understanding—Śiva as indivisible consciousness present in all beings and worlds.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice steady daily Liṅga-pūjā to the fixed Liṅga (abhiṣeka, bilva offering, and japa of the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), while meditating that the same Śiva is akhaṇḍa—undivided and present within the breath and awareness.