Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 10
लिङ्गपूजनसंक्षेपः
Concise Teaching on Liṅga Worship / Śiva-arcana-vidhi
ब्रह्मोवाच । शृणु नारद वक्ष्यामि संक्षेपाल्लिंगपूजनम् । वक्तुं वर्षशतेनापि न शक्यं विस्तरान्मुने
brahmovāca | śṛṇu nārada vakṣyāmi saṃkṣepālliṃgapūjanam | vaktuṃ varṣaśatenāpi na śakyaṃ vistarānmune
พระพรหมตรัสว่า “นารทะ จงฟัง เราจักกล่าวการบูชาศิวลึงค์โดยสังเขป; โอ้มุนี หากจะอธิบายโดยพิสดาร แม้ร้อยปีก็มิอาจกล่าวได้ครบถ้วน”
Brahma
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Sadāśiva
Sthala Purana: Brahmā’s admission that liṅga-pūjā is inexhaustible underscores the ‘ananta-mahima’ of the liṅga, a theme echoed in Liṅgodbhava lore (though not narrated here).
Significance: Encourages humility and sustained practice: even cosmic intellect (Brahmā) cannot exhaustively describe liṅga-worship; thus devotees should persist in regular pūjā and śravaṇa.
Role: teaching
FAQs
It declares the inexhaustible greatness of liṅga-pūjā: the worship of Pati (Śiva) through the liṅga is so profound that its full glory cannot be completely expressed, pointing to its power to lead the soul (paśu) beyond bondage (pāśa) toward grace and liberation.
Brahmā frames liṅga worship as a practical, accessible form of Saguna devotion—approaching Śiva through a sacred emblem—while implying that the reality it signifies ultimately exceeds description, harmonizing outer ritual with inner contemplation.
The verse introduces liṅga-pūjā as the central practice; the takeaway is to follow a concise, disciplined routine of worship (upacāras) with focused devotion and remembrance of Śiva, preparing for further instructions on mantra and observances typically associated with Shaiva practice.