Shloka 69

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

Devanagari script

सूत योगिवरश्रेष्ठ शिवक्षेत्रागमांस्तथा । सूत उवाच । शृणुत श्रद्धया सर्वक्षेत्राणि च तदागमान्

Transliteration

sūta yogivaraśreṣṭha śivakṣetrāgamāṃstathā | sūta uvāca | śṛṇuta śraddhayā sarvakṣetrāṇi ca tadāgamān

Translation

Sūta berkata: “Wahai yang terbaik antara para yogin mulia, dengarlah dengan penuh śraddhā tentang semua Śiva-kṣetra (tempat suci Śiva) serta āgama (ajaran berwibawa) yang berkaitan dengan tempat-tempat suci itu.”

Word by Word

• सूत: O Sūta
• सूत: सम्बोधन (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• योगि-वर-श्रेष्ठ: O best of the foremost yogis
• योगि-वर-श्रेष्ठ: सम्बोधन (Address; epithet)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योगिन् (प्रातिपदिक) + वर (प्रातिपदिक) + श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष/उपपद-समासार्थ: ‘योगिनां वरः, तेषां श्रेष्ठः’ (best among excellent yogis)

• शिव-क्षेत्र-आगमान्: the Āgamas of Śiva’s sacred places
• शिव-क्षेत्र-आगमान्: कर्म (Karma/Object; implied ‘tell/describe’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + आगम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (‘शिवस्य क्षेत्राणां आगमाः’)

• तथा: also, likewise
• तथा: सम्बन्ध/क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण/adverb (‘also/likewise’)

• सूत: Sūta
• सूत: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• शृणुत: listen
• शृणुत: क्रिया (Kriyā/Command)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• श्रद्धया: with faith
• श्रद्धया: करण (Karaṇa/Means; manner)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रद्धा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• सर्व-क्षेत्राणि: all sacred places
• सर्व-क्षेत्राणि: कर्म (Karma/Object of ‘शृणुत’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; कर्मधारय (‘सर्वाणि क्षेत्राणि’)

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

• तत्-आगमान्: those Āgamas
• तत्-आगमान्: कर्म (Karma/Object of ‘शृणुत’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम; प्रातिपदिक) + आगम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (‘तान् आगमान्’ = those Āgamas)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Programmatic invitation to hear about Śiva-kṣetras and their āgamas; functions as a narrative doorway into tīrtha-mahātmyas rather than a single site’s origin.

Significance: Śraddhā (faith) in hearing about Śiva-kṣetras is framed as a legitimate upāya (means) that ripens devotion and motivates pilgrimage/observance aligned with āgamic discipline.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Suta

FAQs

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

It establishes śraddhā (faith) as the essential inner qualification for receiving the kṣetra-māhātmya and āgamic guidance—showing that sacred geography and scripture become spiritually fruitful when approached with devotion to Pati (Śiva).

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

Śiva-kṣetras are traditionally centered on Saguna worship—often through the Śiva-liṅga—while the āgamas prescribe correct liṅga-pūjā, purity, mantra, and devotional conduct, aligning outer ritual with inner surrender to Śiva.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The direct instruction is to listen with faith; in practice this supports śravaṇa (devotional hearing) of kṣetra-māhātmya and āgamic rules, commonly paired with liṅga-pūjā using mantra (e.g., Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and disciplined observance during pilgrimage.