Shloka 21

Liṅga–Bera Pūjā: Nitya-Arcana and Upacāras as an Accessible Sādhana (लिङ्गबेरपूजा-विधानम्)

Devanagari script

लिंगं तस्यैव पूजायां सर्ववेदेषु संमतम् । तस्यैव सकलत्वाच्च तथा सकलनिष्कलम्

Transliteration

liṃgaṃ tasyaiva pūjāyāṃ sarvavedeṣu saṃmatam | tasyaiva sakalatvācca tathā sakalaniṣkalam

Translation

Na adoração d’Ele (Śiva), o Liṅga é aprovado por todos os Vedas. E, porque Ele é a fonte e o sustentáculo de todas as formas manifestas, o Liṅga deve ser compreendido como “sakala” (com aspectos, com atributos) e também “niṣkala” (sem aspectos, além dos atributos)—isto é, sakala-niṣkala.

Word by Word

• liṅgam: the Liṅga
• liṅgam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: liṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• tasya: of him/of that
• tasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक; तद्-शब्द)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Masculine/Neuter, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• eva: indeed/alone
• eva: Emphasis (निपातार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), particle (निपात) for emphasis

• pūjāyām: in worship
• pūjāyām: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pūjā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• sarva-vedeṣu: in all the Vedas
• sarva-vedeṣu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva-veda (प्रातिपदिक; sarva + veda)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Plural (बहुवचन); समासः—कर्मधारयः (‘all’ + ‘Vedas’)

• saṃmatam: approved/accepted
• saṃmatam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: saṃmata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त/कृदन्त) from sam-√man, Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); agrees with liṅgam

• tasya: of him/of that
• tasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक; तद्-शब्द)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Masculine/Neuter, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• eva: indeed
• eva: Emphasis (निपातार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), particle (निपात)

• sakalatvāt: because of (its) completeness/wholeness
• sakalatvāt: Hetu/Apādāna (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sakalatva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक)

• tathā: and also/likewise
• tathā: Sambandha/Modifier (सम्बन्ध/विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• sakala-niṣkalam: both with form and formless
• sakala-niṣkalam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sakala-niṣkala (प्रातिपदिक; sakala + niṣkala)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); समासः—द्वन्द्वः (it is both ‘with parts’ and ‘partless’); agrees with liṅgam (understood)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating the teaching to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Vedas
• Linga

FAQs

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

It establishes Vedic legitimacy for Liṅga-worship and teaches that the Liṅga points to Śiva as both transcendent (niṣkala) and immanent (sakala), guiding the devotee from form-based devotion to realization of the formless Supreme.

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

The Liṅga functions as a Saguna support for pūjā (accessible worship), yet it signifies the Nirguna reality of Śiva; hence it is described as sakala-niṣkala—worship begins with a sacred form and culminates in the formless truth it reveals.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform Liṅga-pūjā with mantra-japa (especially the Pañcākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) while contemplating that the worshipped Liṅga is not merely an object but the sign of Śiva who is both manifest and beyond manifestation.