Shloka 23

Liṅga-pratiṣṭhāvidhiḥ — Installation Standards and Auspicious Parameters for Liṅga Worship

Devanagari script

यथा देवीमुमामंके धृत्वा तिष्ठति शंकरः । तथा लिंगमिदं पीठं धृत्वा तिष्ठति संततम्

Transliteration

yathā devīmumāmaṃke dhṛtvā tiṣṭhati śaṃkaraḥ | tathā liṃgamidaṃ pīṭhaṃ dhṛtvā tiṣṭhati saṃtatam

Translation

ดุจดังพระศังกรทรงอุ้มพระเทวีอุมาไว้บนเพลาและสถิตอยู่เนืองนิตย์ ฉันนั้นพีฐะอันศักดิ์สิทธิ์นี้ก็สถิตอยู่ตลอดกาลโดยรองรับศิวลึงค์นี้ไว้

Word by Word

• यथा: just as
• यथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb/particle of comparison (उपमान/प्रकार-बोधक अव्यय)

• देवीम्: the Goddess
• देवीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• उमाम्: Umā
• उमाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उमा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; apposition to ‘देवीम्’

• अङ्के: on (his) lap
• अङ्के: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• धृत्वा: having held
• धृत्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धृ (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय, अव्ययकृदन्त); ‘having held’

• तिष्ठति: stands/remains
• तिष्ठति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद; 3rd Person (प्रथम-पुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• शंकरः: Śaṅkara
• शंकरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• तथा: so/likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb of correlation (तदनुरूप/तुलना-बोधक अव्यय)

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

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; demonstrative adjective to ‘लिङ्गम्/पीठम्’

• पीठम्: the pedestal
• पीठम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पीठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• धृत्वा: having held
• धृत्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धृ (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय, अव्ययकृदन्त)

• तिष्ठति: stands/remains
• तिष्ठति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद; 3rd Person, Singular

• सन्ततम्: constantly
• सन्ततम्: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सन्तत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Adverbial accusative used as avyaya (क्रियाविशेषण-रूपेण); ‘continually’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga account; it uses a relational iconographic analogy—Śiva holding Umā—to explain the liṅga’s abiding on the pīṭha, reinforcing Śiva-Śakti inseparability in temple iconology.

Significance: Deepens darśana at any liṅga shrine: seeing the pīṭha as Śakti-support and liṅga as Śiva-presence turns ordinary viewing into contemplative worship, strengthening bhakti and right understanding.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Umā

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati

FAQs

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

The verse teaches the inseparable unity of Śiva and Śakti: as Umā rests with Śiva, the Liṅga rests upon the Pīṭha. Devotion to the Liṅga is therefore devotion to the complete reality of Pati (Śiva) inseparable from His power (Śakti), leading the soul toward grace and liberation.

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

It frames the Liṅga as the accessible (saguṇa) support for worship while pointing to the deeper truth that Śiva is never without Śakti. Worship of the Liṅga together with its Pīṭha honors the full symbol of Śiva’s presence and His dynamic power, a key Shaiva Purana emphasis.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Worship the Liṅga with reverence to the Pīṭha as well—perform abhiṣeka, offer bilva leaves, and mentally contemplate Śiva-Śakti as one while repeating the Pañcākṣarī mantra, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya.”