Shloka 41

बन्धमोक्षवर्णनम्

Bondage and Liberation: The Prakṛti–Karma Wheel and Śiva as the Transcendent Cause

Devanagari script

तल्लिंगपूजया नित्यं पौरुषैश्वर्यमाप्नुयात् । महद्भिर्ब्राह्मणैश्चापि राजभिश्च महाधनैः

Transliteration

talliṃgapūjayā nityaṃ pauruṣaiśvaryamāpnuyāt | mahadbhirbrāhmaṇaiścāpi rājabhiśca mahādhanaiḥ

Translation

ఆ లింగాన్ని నిత్యం పూజించుటవలన సాధకుడు పౌరుష-ఐశ్వర్యాన్ని పొందుతాడు; అలాగే మహానుభావ బ్రాహ్మణులచేతను మహాధనవంతులైన రాజులచేతను గౌరవింపబడి ఆదరింపబడుతాడు।

Word by Word

• tat-liṅga-pūjayā: by worship of that liṅga
• tat-liṅga-pūjayā: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tat (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + liṅga (प्रातिपदिक) + pūjā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन); षष्ठी/तत्पुरुष-समासः—‘तस्य लिङ्गस्य पूजा’

• nityam: always
• nityam: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nitya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Adverbial accusative (क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण अव्ययीभूतम्)—‘always/constantly’

• pauruṣa-aiśvaryam: manly power/sovereignty
• pauruṣa-aiśvaryam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pauruṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + aiśvarya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); तत्पुरुषः—‘पौरुषस्य ऐश्वर्यम्’

• āpnuyāt: may obtain
• āpnuyāt: Kriya (क्रिया/finite verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √āp (आप् धातु)
• Form: Optative/benedictive sense (विधिलिङ्), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); परस्मैपद

• mahadbhiḥ: by great (ones)
• mahadbhiḥ: Sahakari (सहकारी/association—instrumental)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन); विशेषणम्—brāhmaṇaiḥ (understood as ‘great’)

• brāhmaṇaiḥ: by brāhmaṇas
• brāhmaṇaiḥ: Sahakari (सहकारी/association)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brāhmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (अपि—‘also/even’)

• rājabhiḥ: by kings
• rājabhiḥ: Sahakari (सहकारी/association)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• mahā-dhanaiḥ: by very wealthy (men)
• mahā-dhanaiḥ: Sahakari (सहकारी/association)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + dhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन); कर्मधारयः—‘महद् धनं येषां ते’ (usage adjectival for persons)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the fruits of Liṅga worship to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: General phalaśruti for nitya-liṅga-pūjā of a pratiṣṭhita pauruṣa-liṅga: it yields pauruṣa-aiśvarya and social honor/support from brāhmaṇas and wealthy kings.

Significance: Highlights dharmic prosperity as a byproduct of disciplined worship; in Siddhānta terms, such aiśvarya is secondary to purification that prepares the paśu for Śiva’s anugraha.

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that steady, daily devotion to the Shiva-Liṅga strengthens inner will and dharmic authority, drawing supportive circumstances and noble associations as a natural fruit of disciplined bhakti.

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

The Liṅga is Saguna Shiva’s accessible form for worship; regular pūjā aligns the devotee with Shiva’s grace (anugraha), which manifests both as inner potency and as outer honour from righteous leaders and learned brāhmaṇas.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Nitya liṅga-pūjā—daily worship of the Shiva Liṅga—ideally accompanied by simple offerings and remembrance of Shiva (such as japa of the Panchākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” where customary).