Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 17

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

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Devanagari script

ऐशान्यां पद्ममालिख्य शुद्धलिप्ते महीतले । शिवकुंभं शोधयित्वा तत्रावाह्य शिवं यजेत्

Transliteration

aiśānyāṃ padmamālikhya śuddhalipte mahītale | śivakuṃbhaṃ śodhayitvā tatrāvāhya śivaṃ yajet

Translation

Di atas tanah yang telah disucikan dan disapu plaster baharu, hendaklah dilukis bunga teratai di arah timur laut (Īśāna). Setelah Śiva-kumbha (tempayan suci) disucikan secara ritual, hendaklah Tuhan Śiva diundang (āvāhana) bersemayam di dalamnya, lalu dipuja di situ.

Word by Word

• ऐशान्याम्: in the north-east (direction)
• ऐशान्याम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/देश)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ऐशान्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; दिशिवाचक-विशेषणम् (implicit: दिशम्/कोणम्)

• पद्मम्: a lotus
• पद्मम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• आलिख्य: having drawn
• आलिख्य: Kriyā (पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-√लिख् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वक्रिया; ‘having drawn’

• शुद्धलिप्ते: on (a place) purified and smeared
• शुद्धलिप्ते: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुद्ध-लिप्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (शुद्धं च लिप्तं च) विशेषणम् (महीतले)

• महीतले: on the ground
• महीतले: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मही-तल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (महेः तलम्)

• शिवकुम्भम्: Śiva’s pot (ritual vessel)
• शिवकुम्भम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव-कुम्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (शिवस्य कुम्भः)

• शोधयित्वा: having purified
• शोधयित्वा: Kriyā (पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शोधय् (धातु, णिच् causative of √शुध्/√शुच् in sense ‘to purify’)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वक्रिया; ‘having purified’

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (स्थानवाचक/adverb of place)

• आवाह्य: having invoked
• आवाह्य: Kriyā (पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-√वह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वक्रिया; ‘having invoked/brought (in)’

• शिवम्: Śiva
• शिवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• यजेत्: should worship
• यजेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: यज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Īśāna (NE) placement and kumbhāvāhana encode ‘grace-bearing’ orientation; kumbha-worship functions as portable sanctum enabling consecration efficacy beyond a fixed kṣetra.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: liberating

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that worship must be grounded in purity and right orientation: preparing a sanctified space and invoking Śiva with reverence aligns the devotee (paśu) toward the Lord (Pati), loosening bondage (pāśa) through disciplined devotion.

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

By prescribing āvāhana (invocation) into a consecrated kumbha, the verse supports Saguna worship—approaching the formless Supreme through a sanctified form or locus (kumbha/linga) where the devotee can offer upacāras with focus.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Prepare a clean, plastered altar area, mark a lotus, purify the kumbha, then perform āvāhana and pūjā—typically accompanied by Shiva mantras (such as the Panchakshara, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) to steady attention and devotion.