Shloka 18

Vibhaga 1, Adhyaya 74 — ब्रह्मप्रोक्तलिङ्गार्चनविधिः

Materials, Classes, and Fruits of Linga-Worship

Devanagari script

मृन्मयं चैव विप्रेन्द्राः सर्वसिद्धिकरं शुभम् शैलजं चोत्तमं प्रोक्तं मध्यमं चैव धातुजम्

Transliteration

mṛnmayaṃ caiva viprendrāḥ sarvasiddhikaraṃ śubham śailajaṃ cottamaṃ proktaṃ madhyamaṃ caiva dhātujam

Translation

Ó melhor entre os brâmanes, o Liṅga de argila é auspicioso e realiza todos os siddhi. O Liṅga nascido da pedra é declarado o mais elevado, enquanto o Liṅga de metal é dito de grau intermediário.

Word by Word

• मृन्मयम्: made of clay/earth

• च एव: and indeed

• विप्रेन्द्राः: O lords among Brahmins

• सर्वसिद्धिकरम्: bestowing all attainments (siddhis)

• शुभम्: auspicious

• शैलजम्: born of stone/rock-made

• च: and

• उत्तमम्: highest/excellent

• प्रोक्तम्: declared/said

• मध्यमम्: middling/medium

• च एव: and indeed

• धातुजम्: made of metal/mineral (alloy/ore-born)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

What is the importance of this verse in the context of Linga worship?

It ranks common Linga materials and links them to spiritual fruit: clay is praised as auspicious and siddhi-giving, stone is stated as the सर्वोत्तम (highest), and metal is placed as मध्यम (middle), guiding devotees in choosing a worship-form.

How does this verse describe the nature of Shiva (Shiva-tattva)?

By allowing Shiva’s worship to be fully effective through multiple material supports, it implies that Pati (Shiva) is not confined to any substance; through proper bhakti and vidhi, the Linga becomes a valid locus for Shiva’s anugraha (grace) upon the pashu (individual soul).

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

It highlights Linga-puja with a properly chosen and installed Linga (especially stone), oriented toward siddhi and auspiciousness—supporting a Pashupata-aligned discipline where purity, worship, and Shiva’s grace loosen pasha (bondage).