Shloka 23

Liṅga–Bera Pūjā: Nitya-Arcana and Upacāras as an Accessible Sādhana (लिङ्गबेरपूजा-विधानम्)

Devanagari script

बेरमात्रं च पूजायां संमतं वेदनिर्णये । स्वाविर्भावे च देवानां सकलं रूपमेव हि

Transliteration

beramātraṃ ca pūjāyāṃ saṃmataṃ vedanirṇaye | svāvirbhāve ca devānāṃ sakalaṃ rūpameva hi

Translation

പൂജയിൽ വേദനിർണ്ണയം പ്രകാരം ബേരം (പ്രതിഷ്ഠിത വിഗ്രഹം) മാത്രമേ അംഗീകൃതമാകൂ. എന്നാൽ ദേവന്മാർ സ്വയം അവിർഭവിക്കുമ്പോൾ അവർ തീർച്ചയായും സകലമായ പൂർണ്ണരൂപത്തിലേ പ്രത്യക്ഷപ്പെടുന്നു.

Word by Word

• bera-mātram: only the icon (alone)
• bera-mātram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bera (प्रातिपदिक) + mātra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (अवधारणार्थ: बेरस्य मात्रम्); (neuter nom/acc sg)

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

• pūjāyām: in worship
• pūjāyām: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pūjā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; (feminine, locative singular)

• saṃmatam: approved/accepted
• saṃmatam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: saṃmata (कृदन्त; सम्+√मन्/√मन्; 'approved')
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle used adjectivally)

• veda-nirṇaye: in the Vedic determination/decision
• veda-nirṇaye: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: veda (प्रातिपदिक) + nirṇaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: वेदानां निर्णयः); (masc loc sg)

• sva-āvirbhāve: in (their) own manifestation/appearance
• sva-āvirbhāve: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक) + āvirbhāva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (कर्मधारय/षष्ठीभाव: स्वस्य आविर्भावः); (masc loc sg)

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

• devānām: of the gods
• devānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), बहुवचन; (masculine, genitive plural)

• sakalaṃ: the complete (form)
• sakalaṃ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sakala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; (neuter nom/acc sg)

• rūpam: form
• rūpam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; (neuter nom/acc sg)

• eva: indeed/only
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक अव्यय (particle of emphasis/only)

• hi: indeed/for
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/हेतुवाचक अव्यय (particle: indeed/for)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Ritual Elements

Offering: dipa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Devas

FAQs

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

It affirms that devotional worship (pūjā) is properly directed to an authorized, consecrated sacred form, while also teaching that divine reality can reveal itself directly as a complete, graspable manifestation—supporting disciplined bhakti alongside God’s freedom to appear.

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

It supports saguna-oriented worship through an approved arcā/bera (including liṅga worship in Shaiva practice), while acknowledging that when divinity self-manifests, it does so as a sakala form—accessible to devotees through attributes, presence, and grace.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform pūjā to a properly consecrated Shiva form (liṅga or arcā) with scripturally aligned discipline; meditate on Shiva as both the worshiped manifest presence (sakala) and the transcendent reality beyond form, repeating the Panchakshara mantra as the inner support.