Shloka 15

Pārthiva-Śiva-liṅga Saṃkhyā-vidhāna

Enumeration and Procedure of Earthen Liṅga Worship

Devanagari script

एकं पापहरं प्रोक्तं द्विलिंगं चार्थसिद्धिदम् । त्रिलिंगं सर्वकामानां कारणं परमीरितम्

Transliteration

ekaṃ pāpaharaṃ proktaṃ dviliṃgaṃ cārthasiddhidam | triliṃgaṃ sarvakāmānāṃ kāraṇaṃ paramīritam

Translation

ਇੱਕ ਲਿੰਗ ਪਾਪਹਰ ਕਿਹਾ ਗਿਆ ਹੈ; ਦੋ ਲਿੰਗ ਅਰਥ-ਸਿੱਧੀ ਦੇਣ ਵਾਲੇ ਹਨ; ਅਤੇ ਤਿੰਨ ਲਿੰਗ ਸਭ ਕਾਮਨਾਵਾਂ ਦੀ ਪੂਰਤੀ ਦਾ ਪਰਮ ਕਾਰਣ ਆਖੇ ਗਏ ਹਨ।

Word by Word

• एकम्: one (liṅga)
• एकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; ‘लिङ्गम्’ (अनुक्त) इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• पाप-हरम्: sin-destroying
• पाप-हरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक) + हर (कृदन्त; √हृ (धातु) णिच्? here agentive ‘har’ as nominal)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; समासः—पापं हरति इति (उपपद-तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारय-प्राय)

• प्रोक्तम्: is declared/said
• प्रोक्तम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रोक्त (कृदन्त; प्र + √वच् (धातु), क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि/भूतकृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘(एतत्) प्रोक्तम्’ = ‘is said’

• द्वि-लिङ्गम्: two liṅgas / the two-liṅga (practice)
• द्वि-लिङ्गम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वि (प्रातिपदिक/संख्या) + लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (numeral compound)

• च: and
• च: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अर्थ-सिद्धि-दम्: granting success of aims/prosperity
• अर्थ-सिद्धि-दम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + सिद्धि (प्रातिपदिक) + द (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक; √दा (धातु) ‘giver’)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; समासः—अर्थस्य सिद्धिः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष), तां ददाति इति (उपपद-तत्पुरुष)

• त्रि-लिङ्गम्: three liṅgas / the three-liṅga (practice)
• त्रि-लिङ्गम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि (प्रातिपदिक/संख्या) + लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास

• सर्व-कामानाम्: of all desires
• सर्व-कामानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), बहुवचन; समासः—सर्वे कामाः (कर्मधारय)

• कारणम्: cause
• कारणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; ‘ईरितम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• ईरितम्: is proclaimed
• ईरितम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ईरित (कृदन्त; √ईर्/ईरय् (धातु) क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘(एतत्) ईरितम्’ = ‘is stated’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga-sthala passage; it teaches the phala (fruit) of increasing numbers of installed/worshipped liṅgas—one for pāpa-kṣaya, two for artha-siddhi, three for sarva-kāma-siddhi—reflecting a graded upāya (means) for householders.

Significance: Encourages liṅga-sevā as a portable ‘tīrtha’ practice: even without travel, devotion expressed through liṅga-worship is said to yield purification and worldly/desired attainments, culminating in readiness for higher grace.

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Linga

FAQs

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

The verse teaches graded fruits of Liṅga-pūjā: worship of Shiva in a tangible Saguna form purifies sin (pāpa-kṣaya) and progressively supports the devotee’s aims, culminating in comprehensive fulfillment when worship is intensified with multiple Liṅgas.

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

It frames the Liṅga as a primary Saguna symbol through which devotion becomes concrete—offering a structured way to approach Shiva’s grace, beginning with purification and extending to the orderly attainment of life’s goals under dharma.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It implies Liṅga-pūjā as a practice: establish and worship one (or more) Liṅgas with offerings, japa (especially the Panchakshara “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), and disciplined devotion—commonly intensified on Mahāśivarātri for purification and siddhi.