Shloka 24

Pārthiva-Śiva-liṅga Saṃkhyā-vidhāna

Enumeration and Procedure of Earthen Liṅga Worship

Devanagari script

एकतः सर्वदानानि व्रतानि विविधानि च । तीर्थानि नियमा यज्ञा लिंगार्चा चैकतः स्मृता

Transliteration

ekataḥ sarvadānāni vratāni vividhāni ca | tīrthāni niyamā yajñā liṃgārcā caikataḥ smṛtā

Translation

एकतः सर्वदानानि व्रतानि विविधानि च। तीर्थानि नियमा यज्ञा लिङ्गार्चा चैकतः स्मृता॥

Word by Word

• एकतः: on one side
• एकतः: Desha-adhikarana (देश-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एकतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देश/पक्षवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (on one side)

• सर्व-दानानि: all gifts/charities
• सर्व-दानानि: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; कर्तृपद (as a set)

• व्रतानि: vows/observances
• व्रतानि: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन

• विविधानि: various
• विविधानि: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विविध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying व्रतानि)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• तीर्थानि: pilgrimage places
• तीर्थानि: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन

• नियमाः: disciplines/restrictions
• नियमाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नियम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन

• यज्ञाः: sacrifices
• यज्ञाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन

• लिङ्ग-अर्चा: worship of the liṅga
• लिङ्ग-अर्चा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्चा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; कर्तृपद; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (worship of the liṅga)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक

• एकतः: on the other side
• एकतः: Desha-adhikarana (देश-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एकतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; पक्षवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (on the other side / on one side)

• स्मृता: is declared/considered
• स्मृता: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त; क्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; कर्मणि भाव (is said/considered)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Viśvanātha

Sthala Purana: As this occurs in the Viśveśvara-saṃhitā (Kāśī-māhātmya milieu), the teaching implicitly elevates Liṅga-arcana as the most direct means in Kāśī, where Viśveśvara grants swift purification and liberation; other meritorious acts are ‘weighed’ against Liṅga-worship and found secondary.

Significance: Liṅga-arcana is presented as a concentrated sādhana that subsumes dāna, vrata, tīrtha, niyama, and yajña—i.e., a single act of devotion that yields multi-fold puṇya and prepares the paśu (bound soul) for Śiva’s grace.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Linga

FAQs

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

The verse teaches that while charity, vows, pilgrimages, disciplines, and sacrifices are meritorious, devotion expressed as Śiva-liṅga worship is held to be the most direct and complete means to Śiva’s grace and liberation (mokṣa) in the Shaiva Siddhanta spirit.

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

It elevates liṅga-arcana—worship of Saguna Śiva in the liṅga—because the liṅga is treated as the accessible, consecrated presence of Pati (Śiva), through whom the soul (paśu) receives purification and release from bonds (pāśa).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is regular liṅga pūjā/abhiṣeka with mantra-japa (especially the Pañcākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), supported by simple niyamas like purity, restraint, and sincere bhakti.