Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 5

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

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Devanagari script

शलाकया कांचनया २ कुंकुमादिरसाक्तया । लक्षितं लक्षणं शिल्पशास्त्रेण विलिखेत्ततः

Transliteration

śalākayā kāṃcanayā 2 kuṃkumādirasāktayā | lakṣitaṃ lakṣaṇaṃ śilpaśāstreṇa vilikhettataḥ

Translation

Kemudian, dengan menggunakan stilus emas yang dicelup ke dalam sari kunkuma (safron) dan seumpamanya, hendaklah diukir—menurut kaedah śilpaśāstra—tanda-tanda bertuah (lakṣaṇa) yang telah ditetapkan.

Word by Word

• शलाकया: with a stylus/rod
• शलाकया: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शलाका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• काञ्चनया: golden
• काञ्चनया: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काञ्चन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; ‘शलाकया’ इति विशेषण

• कुङ्कुमादिरसाक्तया: smeared with saffron etc. juice
• कुङ्कुमादिरसाक्तया: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कुङ्कुम + आदि + रस + आक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (कुङ्कुमादिरसेन आक्ता), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; ‘शलाकया’ इति विशेषण

• लक्षितम्: marked/indicated
• लक्षितम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लक्ष् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; ‘लक्षणम्’ इति विशेषण

• लक्षणम्: the mark/outline
• लक्षणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• शिल्पशास्त्रेण: by/according to the treatise on art
• शिल्पशास्त्रेण: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिल्प + शास्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (शिल्पस्य शास्त्रम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• विलिखेत्: should draw/inscribe
• विलिखेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + लिख् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, तृतीया-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• ततः: then/thereafter
• ततः: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रम/स्थानवाचक-अव्यय (thereafter/from that)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Emphasizes śāstra-pramāṇa (scriptural/technical authority) in sacred art and ritual: correct lakṣaṇas make the liṅga and its setting fit to receive Śiva’s presence and grace.

FAQs

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

It teaches that devotional acts in Saguna Shiva worship should be performed with purity and scriptural precision—outer correctness (śāstra-vidhi) supports inner reverence and steadiness of mind directed to Pati (Shiva).

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

The verse describes the careful inscription of auspicious iconographic marks, implying a consecratory or preparatory step in forming/adorning a sacred object used for Shiva’s manifest (Saguna) worship, aligned with Śilpa-śāstra injunctions.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A śāstra-guided preparatory rite: inscribing prescribed auspicious marks with sanctified materials (e.g., saffron mixture) using a pure implement—performed as focused, reverential action before formal pūjā or dhyāna.