Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 7

लिङ्गप्रतिष्ठा-माहात्म्यम् / The Greatness of Liṅga Installation

Devanagari script

उपमन्युरुवाच । अव्यक्तं लिंगमाख्यातं त्रिगुणप्रभवाप्ययम् । अनाद्यनंतं विश्वस्य यदुपादानकारणम्

Transliteration

upamanyuruvāca | avyaktaṃ liṃgamākhyātaṃ triguṇaprabhavāpyayam | anādyanaṃtaṃ viśvasya yadupādānakāraṇam

Translation

อุปมันยุกล่าวว่า “ลึงค์นั้นประกาศว่าเป็นอวิยักตะ คือไม่ปรากฏแก่ประสาทสัมผัส; ไตรคุณเกิดจากสิ่งนั้นและย่อมสลายกลับสู่สิ่งนั้น. มันไร้เบื้องต้นไร้เบื้องปลาย และเป็นเหตุวัตถุแห่งสรรพจักรวาล”

Word by Word

• उपमन्युः: Upamanyu
• उपमन्युः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपमन्यु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• अव्यक्तम्: unmanifest
• अव्यक्तम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अव्यक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• लिङ्गम्: liṅga
• लिङ्गम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• आख्यातम्: is declared
• आख्यातम्: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-ख्या (धातु)
• Form: क्त-कृदन्त, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; predicate participle

• त्रिगुणप्रभवाप्ययम्: having origin and dissolution in the three guṇas
• त्रिगुणप्रभवाप्ययम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + गुण (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रभव (प्रातिपदिक) + अप्यय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (त्रिगुणानां प्रभवः अप्ययश्च यस्य/यत्)

• अनादि: beginningless
• अनादि: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनादि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• अनन्तम्: endless/infinite
• अनन्तम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• विश्वस्य: of the universe
• विश्वस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

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

• उपादानकारणम्: material cause
• उपादानकारणम्: Samanya-predicate (सम्बन्ध/Predicate nominal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपादान (प्रातिपदिक) + कारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (उपादानं कारणं)

Speaker

Upamanyu

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Upamanyu defines the liṅga as avyakta (unmanifest), the source and re-absorption of the three guṇas, beginningless and endless, and the upādāna-kāraṇa (material cause) of the universe—presenting the liṅga as the metaphysical ground behind manifest worship-forms.

Significance: Shifts the pilgrim’s gaze from mere icon to ontology: worship of the liṅga is worship of the unmanifest ground of all, supporting both bhakti and jñāna leading to grace.

Shakti Dimension

Role: creative

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Implied cyclical emanation and reabsorption of guṇas (sṛṣṭi–saṃhāra rhythm)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Linga

FAQs

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

It identifies Shiva’s Liṅga-principle as avyakta (unmanifest), beyond ordinary perception, and as the beginningless–endless ground in which the guṇas arise and subside—pointing the seeker toward inner realization of Shiva as the ultimate reality and cause of bondage-release.

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

While the Liṅga is worshipped in a visible (saguṇa) form, this verse teaches that its true essence is unmanifest (nirguṇa/avyakta): the outward Liṅga becomes a sacred support for contemplating Shiva as the transcendent source and dissolution of all qualities.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Liṅga-upāsanā with japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and dhyāna on the avyakta Shiva—contemplating the rise and dissolution of the three guṇas—aligns worship with the verse’s teaching.