Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 48

लिङ्ग-बेर-प्रतिष्ठाविधिः / The Procedure for Installing the Liṅga and the Bera

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Devanagari script

अशक्तश्चेत्प्रतिष्ठाप्य लिंगं बेरमथापि वा । शक्तेरनुगुणं पश्चात्प्रकुर्वीत शिवालयम्

Transliteration

aśaktaścetpratiṣṭhāpya liṃgaṃ beramathāpi vā | śakteranuguṇaṃ paścātprakurvīta śivālayam

Translation

หากผู้ใดไม่สามารถสร้างเทวาลัยก่อนได้ พึงตั้งศิวลึงค์หรือรูปเคารพ (เบระ) ให้มั่นคงก่อน แล้วภายหลังจึงสร้างศิวาลัยตามกำลังศรัทธาและความสามารถของตน

Word by Word

• अशक्तः: incapable (person)
• अशक्तः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अशक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; नञ्-प्रत्ययान्त

• चेत्: if
• चेत्: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चेत् (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्त-अव्यय (conditional particle)

• प्रतिष्ठाप्य: having installed
• प्रतिष्ठाप्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति + स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त (absolutive/gerund), ‘having consecrated/installed’

• लिङ्गम्: liṅga
• लिङ्गम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• बेरम्: icon (bera)
• बेरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बेर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• अथ: then/also
• अथ: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तर-अव्यय (sequencing particle)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), ‘also/even’

• वा: or
• वा: Vikalpa (विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्प-अव्यय (disjunctive particle)

• शक्तेः: according to (one’s) capacity
• शक्तेः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• अनुगुणम्: suitable
• अनुगुणम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनुगुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् (prakurvīta इत्यस्य)

• पश्चात्: afterwards
• पश्चात्: Kala-adhikarana (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पश्चात् (अव्यय)
• Form: काल-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• प्रकुर्वीत: should make/construct
• प्रकुर्वीत: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• शिवालयम्: Śiva-temple
• शिवालयम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव + आलय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—शिवस्य आलयः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Vāyavīya teaching to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that sincere devotion is primary: even without resources for a full temple, establishing the Liṅga (or an image) enables worship of Pati (Śiva), and later one may expand the outer form of devotion according to one’s means.

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

The verse legitimizes both Liṅga and mūrti worship as valid supports for approaching Śiva. In Shaiva Siddhanta, the transcendent Lord is accessed through gracious, worshipable forms—Liṅga and icon—suited to the devotee’s condition.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It implies beginning with regular Liṅga/mūrti pūjā (daily offerings, mantra-japa such as the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and then, as capacity grows, establishing a dedicated Śivālaya (shrine/temple) to formalize and deepen communal worship.