Shloka 31

Pārthiva-Śiva-liṅga Saṃkhyā-vidhāna

Enumeration and Procedure of Earthen Liṅga Worship

Devanagari script

अनेकलिंगं यो नित्यं भक्तिश्रद्धासमन्वितः । पूजयेत्स लभेत्कामान्मनसा मानसेप्सितान्

Transliteration

anekaliṃgaṃ yo nityaṃ bhaktiśraddhāsamanvitaḥ | pūjayetsa labhetkāmānmanasā mānasepsitān

Translation

భక్తి, శ్రద్ధలతో కూడి నిత్యం అనేక లింగాలను పూజించే వాడు, మనసులో కోరుకున్న కోరికల ఫలాలను పొందుతాడు.

Word by Word

• अनेक-लिङ्गम्: many liṅgas
• अनेक-लिङ्गम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनेक (प्रातिपदिक) + लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; समासः—अनेकं लिङ्गम् (many liṅgas)

• यः: who (he)
• यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोग)
• Form: अव्ययवत् क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial accusative): ‘always’

• भक्ति-श्रद्धा-समन्वितः: endowed with devotion and faith
• भक्ति-श्रद्धा-समन्वितः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + श्रद्धा (प्रातिपदिक) + समन्वित (सम्+अन्वि धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय; कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; विशेषण of यः; समासः—भक्त्या श्रद्धया च समन्वितः (endowed with devotion and faith)

• पूजयेत्: should worship
• पूजयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• लभेत्: would obtain
• लभेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• कामान्: desired objects / wishes
• कामान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), बहुवचन

• मनसा: by the mind
• मनसा: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), एकवचन

• मानस-ईप्सितान्: mentally desired
• मानस-ईप्सितान्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मानस (प्रातिपदिक) + ईप्सित (आप्/ईप्स् धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय; कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), बहुवचन; विशेषण of कामान्; समासः—मनसा ईप्सिताः (desired in the mind)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: General liṅga-bhakti teaching; not tied to a single Jyotirliṅga. The motif of ‘many liṅgas’ resonates with tīrtha-kṣetra circuits and multi-liṅga shrines.

Significance: Encourages expansive daily devotion; promises iṣṭa-phala (desired outcomes) as a preliminary fruit that can mature into mumukṣutva (desire for liberation).

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: oṃ namaḥ śivāya

Type: panchakshara

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Linga

FAQs

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

It teaches that sincere bhakti (devotion) joined with śraddhā (reverent faith) makes Liṅga-worship spiritually efficacious, bringing inner alignment and the fitting fruits of one’s intentions under Shiva’s grace.

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

The Liṅga is the accessible sacred form (saguṇa-upāsanā) through which the devotee approaches the transcendent Shiva; worshipping many Liṅgas emphasizes honoring Shiva’s presence in multiple consecrated forms while holding one-pointed devotion.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Daily Liṅga-pūjā with steady devotion and faith—optionally supported by japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), offering water, bilva leaves, and maintaining purity of intention (mānasa-bhāva).