Shloka 3

Pārthiva-Śiva-liṅga Saṃkhyā-vidhāna

Enumeration and Procedure of Earthen Liṅga Worship

Devanagari script

सूत उवाच । शृणुध्वमृषयः सर्वे पार्थिवार्चाविधानकम् । यस्यानुष्ठानमात्रेण कृतकृत्यो भवेन्नरः

Transliteration

sūta uvāca | śṛṇudhvamṛṣayaḥ sarve pārthivārcāvidhānakam | yasyānuṣṭhānamātreṇa kṛtakṛtyo bhavennaraḥ

Translation

ਸੂਤ ਨੇ ਕਿਹਾ— ਹੇ ਸਭ ਰਿਸ਼ਿਓ, ਪਾਰਥਿਵਾਰਚਾ (ਮਿੱਟੀ ਦੇ ਲਿੰਗ ਦੀ ਪੂਜਾ) ਦੀ ਵਿਧੀ ਸੁਣੋ। ਜਿਸ ਦੇ ਕੇਵਲ ਅਨੁਸ਼ਠਾਨ ਮਾਤਰ ਨਾਲ ਮਨੁੱਖ ਕ੍ਰਿਤਕ੍ਰਿਤ੍ਯ ਹੋ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹੈ।

Word by Word

• सूतः: Sūta (the narrator)
• सूतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• शृणुध्वम्: listen (you all)
• शृणुध्वम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• ऋषयः: O sages
• ऋषयः: Sambodhyah (सम्बोध्य/आह्वेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifier) of ऋषयः

• पार्थिव-अर्चा-विधानकम्: the procedure for worship with an earthen (clay) liṅga
• पार्थिव-अर्चा-विधानकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थिव (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्चा (प्रातिपदिक) + विधानक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; समासः—पार्थिवस्य अर्चायाः विधानकम् (determinative)

• यस्य: of which / whose
• यस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6th case), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध (genitive)

• अनुष्ठान-मात्रेण: by mere performance (alone)
• अनुष्ठान-मात्रेण: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनुष्ठान (प्रातिपदिक) + मात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), एकवचन; समासः—अनुष्ठानस्य मात्रम् (only the performance)

• कृत-कृत्यः: fulfilled / having accomplished what is to be done
• कृत-कृत्यः: Visheshya-predicative (विशेषण/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत (कृ धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय; कृदन्त) + कृत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; विशेषण (predicate adjective) of नरः; समासः—कृतं कृत्यं येन (one whose duty is done)

• भवेत्: would become
• भवेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Frames the pārthiva-liṅga rite as a powerful upāya accessible outside major kṣetras; ‘mere observance’ is praised as life-fulfilling.

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

FAQs

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

It proclaims that sincere observance of Pārthiva-arcā (worship of Shiva through an earthen sacred form) is a complete, life-fulfilling sādhana—capable of making one “kṛtakṛtya,” as devotion aligned with right procedure turns the mind toward Shiva (Pati) and loosens bondage (pāśa).

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

The verse introduces a concrete, Saguna mode of approach—arcā worship—where Shiva is reverently invoked and served through a form (here, an earthen liṅga/emblem). In Shaiva Siddhanta terms, disciplined outer worship supports inner purification and steady remembrance of Shiva.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It points to performing the prescribed Pārthiva-arcā-vidhi—devotional worship of an earthen Shiva form—typically accompanied by mantra-japa (often the Panchakshara, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and offerings, undertaken with faith and regularity.