Shloka 17

Andhakeśvara-liṅga Māhātmya and Śiva’s Subjugation of Andhaka (अन्धकेश्वरलिङ्गमाहात्म्य तथा अन्धकवध-प्रसङ्ग)

Devanagari script

वृत्त्यर्थं पूजयेल्लिंगं लोकस्य हितकारकम् । षण्मासं यो द्विजश्चैव स वै देवलकः स्मृतः

Transliteration

vṛttyarthaṃ pūjayelliṃgaṃ lokasya hitakārakam | ṣaṇmāsaṃ yo dvijaścaiva sa vai devalakaḥ smṛtaḥ

Translation

ทวิชผู้ใดบูชาลึงค์อันเกื้อกูลโลกนั้นตลอดหกเดือน เพียงเพื่อเลี้ยงชีพ ผู้นั้นย่อมถูกนับว่าเป็น “เทวลกะ” (ผู้ประกอบพิธีบูชาเป็นอาชีพ)

Word by Word

• वृत्त्यर्थम्: for livelihood
• वृत्त्यर्थम्: Hetu (हेतु/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वृत्ति + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), तृतीया-तत्पुरुषसमासः; अर्थे—प्रयोजनार्थे (for the sake of livelihood)

• पूजयेत्: should worship
• पूजयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधि), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd), एकवचनम्; धातुः—पूज् (to worship)

• लिङ्गम्: the liṅga
• लिङ्गम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गम्, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचनम्

• लोकस्य: of the world/people
• लोकस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचनम्

• हितकारकम्: beneficial (doing good)
• हितकारकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हित + कारक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गम्, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (हितस्य कारकः)

• षण्मासम्: for six months
• षण्मासम्: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षण् + मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचनम्; द्विगुसमासः (six-month period)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचनम्; सम्बन्धसूचकः (relative pronoun)

• द्विजः: a twice-born (Brahmin etc.)
• द्विजः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचनम्

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्ययम् (conjunction)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Avadhāraṇa (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्ययम् (emphatic particle)

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

• वै: indeed
• वै: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/प्रसिद्ध्यर्थक-अव्ययम् (indeed, certainly)

• देवलकः: a devalaka (temple-servant for livelihood)
• देवलकः: Pratijñā/Predicate (विशेष्य-निर्देश)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवलक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचनम्

• स्मृतः: is considered/called
• स्मृतः: Kriya (क्रिया/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्तः—क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचनम्; कर्मणि प्रयोगे ‘is called/considered’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: A normative warning embedded in the liṅga’s praise: worship done merely for vṛtti (livelihood) distorts the purpose of arcana. The text labels such a practitioner 'devalaka', marking a fall from true dvija-adhikāra.

Significance: Teaches purity of intention (niṣkāma-bhakti) in temple service; cautions against commodifying worship and thereby veiling (tirodhāna) one’s spiritual eligibility.

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Linga

FAQs

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

It distinguishes true Śiva-bhakti from worship done primarily for income, teaching that intention (bhāva) is central to the spiritual fruit of liṅga-pūjā.

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

The liṅga represents Saguna Śiva accessible through ritual; the verse warns that treating this worship as a trade diminishes its sanctity and shifts it away from devotion and inner surrender.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform liṅga-pūjā with devotion and purity—supported by mantra-japa (especially the Pañcākṣarī, ‘Om Namaḥ Śivāya’)—rather than as a transactional act for livelihood.