Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 38

पूजाविधिः

Pūjā-vidhiḥ) — The Supreme Procedure of Worship (Morning Observances

Devanagari script

तत्र तु द्वारपालानां नियमो नास्ति सर्वथा । गृहे लिंगं च यत्पूज्यं तस्मिन्सर्वं प्रतिष्ठितम्

Transliteration

tatra tu dvārapālānāṃ niyamo nāsti sarvathā | gṛhe liṃgaṃ ca yatpūjyaṃ tasminsarvaṃ pratiṣṭhitam

Translation

ในการบูชาในเรือนนั้น ไม่มีข้อบังคับใด ๆ เกี่ยวกับทวารบาลโดยสิ้นเชิง เพราะเมื่อบูชาลึงค์ในบ้าน ก็ถือว่าสรรพสิ่งทั้งปวงได้ประดิษฐานอยู่ในลึงค์นั้นเอง

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/विरोधार्थक-निपात (particle: but/indeed)

• द्वारपालानाम्: of the door-guards
• द्वारपालानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वार + पाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः द्वारपाल = द्वारस्य पालः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• नियमः: rule/restriction
• नियमः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नियम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपात (negation)

• अस्ति: is/exists
• अस्ति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• सर्वथा: at all / in any way
• सर्वथा: Prakāra (प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (adverb: in every way/at all)

• गृहे: in the house
• गृहे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• लिङ्गम्: the liṅga
• लिङ्गम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (here as subject of ‘प्रतिष्ठितम्’)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (conjunction: and)

• यत्: which/that
• यत्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्बन्धक-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• पूज्यम्: to be worshipped
• पूज्यम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: कृत्: यत् (gerundive), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘पूजनीयम्’

• तस्मिन्: in that
• तस्मिन्: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; संकेत/अन्वय (in that)

• सर्वम्: everything
• सर्वम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• प्रतिष्ठितम्: is established
• प्रतिष्ठितम्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति-स्था (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त: क्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘स्थापितम्/निविष्टम्’

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Liṅgodbhava

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Doctrinal echo of the liṅga as the all-containing axis (sarvādhāra): in home worship, auxiliary deities/guardians are not mandatory because the liṅga itself is treated as the complete seat of divinity.

Significance: Encourages accessible household Śaiva practice: the liṅga is a complete microcosm; devotion to it is sufficient for grace without elaborate temple apparatus.

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: नमः शिवाय (implied as mūla-mantra)

Type: panchakshara

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Ritual Elements

Offering: dipa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Linga

FAQs

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

The verse teaches that the household Śiva-liṅga is a complete sacred center: when the devotee worships the Liṅga with devotion, the supporting formalities are secondary because all sacred establishments are understood to reside in Śiva as Pati (the Supreme Lord).

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

It affirms Saguna-upāsanā through the Liṅga as a sufficient and complete form for worship: the Liṅga functions as the focal support (ālambana) where the presence of Śiva and the fullness of worship are integrated, without needing additional compulsory subsidiary deities like fixed door-guardians.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Prioritize steady home Liṅga-pūjā with bhakti—offer water, bilva leaves, and repeat the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”)—keeping the practice simple and consistent rather than overly dependent on elaborate ancillary rites.