Shloka 6

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

Devanagari script

मंडलं चतुरस्रं वा त्रिकोणमथवा तथा । खट्वांगवन्मध्यसूक्ष्मं लिंगपीठं महाफलं

Transliteration

maṃḍalaṃ caturasraṃ vā trikoṇamathavā tathā | khaṭvāṃgavanmadhyasūkṣmaṃ liṃgapīṭhaṃ mahāphalaṃ

Translation

มณฑลอาจทำเป็นสี่เหลี่ยมหรือสามเหลี่ยมก็ได้. พีฐะของลึงคะพึงทำให้มีส่วนกลางที่ละเอียดประณีตดุจคฑาขัฏวางคะ; ลึงคะ-พีฐะเช่นนี้ย่อมประทานผลอันยิ่งใหญ่.

Word by Word

• मण्डलम्: a circle/maṇḍala
• मण्डलम्: Adhikarana/Predicate (विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मण्डल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; अत्र विकल्प-निर्देशे प्रथमा (predicate)

• चतुरस्रम्: a square
• चतुरस्रम्: Adhikarana/Predicate (विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुरस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; आकार-निर्देश (square)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-निपात (disjunctive particle: or)

• त्रिकोणम्: a triangle
• त्रिकोणम्: Adhikarana/Predicate (विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि + कोण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (three-angled)

• अथ: then/also
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तरार्थक/प्रस्तावक-अव्यय (then/also)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-निपात (or)

• तथा: thus/likewise
• तथा: Kriya-visheshaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारार्थक-अव्यय (thus/in that manner)

• खट्वाङ्गवत्: like a khaṭvāṅga (club)
• खट्वाङ्गवत्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: खट्वाङ्ग + वत् (प्रातिपदिक/तद्धित)
• Form: अव्ययवत्-प्रयोगः (indeclinable-like), उपमानवाचक तद्धित ‘-वत्’ (like)

• मध्यसूक्ष्मम्: having a subtle center
• मध्यसूक्ष्मम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मध्य + सूक्ष्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘मध्यं सूक्ष्मं यस्य’ (having a subtle middle)

• लिङ्गपीठम्: the liṅga-pedestal
• लिङ्गपीठम्: Karta/Predicate (कर्ता/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग + पीठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘लिङ्गस्य पीठम्’

• महाफलम्: highly fruitful
• महाफलम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा + फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘महच्च तत् फलम्’ (great in result)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva-worship procedures to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Sadyojāta

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: General instruction on maṇḍala (ground-plan) and liṅga-pīṭha geometry; not tied to a single sthala, but reflects pan-Indian temple-pratiṣṭhā conventions.

Significance: Teaches that correct sacred geometry (maṇḍala) and a well-formed pīṭha become a stable support for daily worship, increasing puṇya and siddhi of rites.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Linga

FAQs

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

It teaches that outer ritual form (the maṇḍala and Liṅga-pīṭha) should be precise and sacred, because disciplined worship becomes a support for inner purity and devotion to Pati (Śiva), yielding “great fruit” in dharma and liberation-oriented merit.

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

The Liṅga is the accessible (saguṇa) support for approaching the transcendent (nirguṇa) Śiva. By prescribing the maṇḍala’s geometry and the pedestal’s refined center, the text emphasizes correct, reverent embodiment of the divine presence for effective Liṅga-pūjā.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Prepare a square or triangular worship-maṇḍala and install the Liṅga on a properly made pīṭha; then worship with steady focus, typically accompanied by mantra-japa (especially the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) as the meditative core of the rite.