Shloka 37

दशशैवव्रतप्रश्नः — Inquiry into the Ten Principal Śaiva Vratas

Devanagari script

प्रथमं पार्थिवं कृत्वा पश्चात्स्थापनमाचरेत् । स्तोत्रैर्नानाविधैर्देवं तोषयेद्वृषभध्वजम्

Transliteration

prathamaṃ pārthivaṃ kṛtvā paścātsthāpanamācaret | stotrairnānāvidhairdevaṃ toṣayedvṛṣabhadhvajam

Translation

ก่อนอื่นให้ปั้นลึงค์ปารถิวะด้วยดิน แล้วจึงประกอบพิธีสถาปนาให้ถูกต้องตามแบบแผน จากนั้นจงสรรเสริญด้วยบทสโตตราหลายประการเพื่อให้เทพผู้มีธงวัว—พระศิวะ—ทรงพอพระทัย

Word by Word

• प्रथमम्: first
• प्रथमम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रथम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण नपुंसक-एकवचन-द्वितीया (adverbial accusative)

• पार्थिवम्: an earthen (liṅga/object)
• पार्थिवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (पार्थिवं = मृण्मय-लिङ्गम्/earth-made object)

• कृत्वा: having made
• कृत्वा: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) + त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय-भावकृदन्त (gerund), 'having done/made'

• पश्चात्: afterwards
• पश्चात्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पश्चात् (अव्यय)
• Form: काल/क्रमवाचक-अव्यय (adverb)

• स्थापनम्: installation/placing
• स्थापनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थापन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• आचरेत्: should perform
• आचरेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• स्तोत्रैः: with hymns
• स्तोत्रैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्तोत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• नाना-विधैः: of various kinds
• नाना-विधैः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नाना (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + विध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: कर्मधारय (नानाविध = various kinds); पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (स्तोत्रैः इति विशेषण)

• देवम्: the god (Śiva)
• देवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तोषयेत्: should please
• तोषयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तुष् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; णिच् (causative) अर्थः: 'to please'

• वृषभ-ध्वजम्: the bull-bannered one (Śiva)
• वृषभ-ध्वजम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृषभ (प्रातिपदिक) + ध्वज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: बहुव्रीहि (वृषभः ध्वजः यस्य = whose banner is the bull); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: This verse prescribes a vrata-rite using a self-made earthen liṅga; it is not tied to a pan-Indian Jyotirliṅga shrine narrative, but to the Vyādheśvara-māhātmya context where local liṅga-worship and Śivarātri observance are praised.

Significance: Merit accrues through correct liṅga-making (pārthiva), pratiṣṭhā, and stotra—framed as accessible household/temporary worship yielding Śiva’s satisfaction and grace.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Nandi

FAQs

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

It teaches that sincere, ordered worship—first preparing the sacred form (liṅga), then establishing it with reverence, and finally praising Śiva with devotion—purifies the devotee and aligns the soul (paśu) toward Pati (Śiva), making the heart fit for Śiva’s grace.

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

The earthen liṅga is a compassionate, accessible Saguna support for devotion. By installing it (sthāpana/pratiṣṭhā) and offering stotras, the devotee approaches the formless Nirguna reality through a sanctified form, as emphasized in Śaiva ritual practice.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It suggests Parthiva Liṅga worship: make an earthen liṅga, perform its respectful installation, and recite varied Śiva-stotras (optionally alongside the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) to please Vṛṣabhadhvaja Śiva with steady bhakti.