Shloka 16
Pārthiva-Śiva-liṅga-māhātmya
The Excellence of the Earthen Śiva Liṅga
प्रकृत्यपार्थिवं लिंगं योन्यदेवं प्रपूजयेत् । वृथा भवति सा पूजा स्नानदानादिकं वृथा
prakṛtyapārthivaṃ liṃgaṃ yonyadevaṃ prapūjayet | vṛthā bhavati sā pūjā snānadānādikaṃ vṛthā
స్వభావతః పార్థివం (మట్టితో చేసినది) కాని లింగాన్ని, లేదా దైవికం కాని యోనిని పూజిస్తే ఆ పూజ ఫలించదు; స్నాన‑దానాది కర్మలూ వ్యర్థమవుతాయి।
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pasha
Shiva Form: Sadāśiva
Shakti Form: Umā
Role: nurturing
FAQs
It teaches that Shiva-puja must be aligned with scriptural rule and sanctity: when the icon and its base are improper or unsanctified, the act lacks the right sambandha (authentic connection) to Pati (Shiva), so the intended spiritual fruit is lost.
The Linga is Saguna Shiva’s authorized form for worship; the verse emphasizes that the worship-form must be valid (properly made/installed and divine), otherwise devotion gets diverted into mere external action without reaching Shiva as the intended object of worship.
Perform Linga-puja only with a properly prepared and sanctified Linga-yoni, and support the worship with Shaiva disciplines such as Panchakshara japa (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and pure observance; otherwise even snāna and dāna do not yield the intended merit.