Shloka 26

Pārthiva-Śiva-liṅga Saṃkhyā-vidhāna

Enumeration and Procedure of Earthen Liṅga Worship

Devanagari script

भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदं लिंगं विविधापन्निवारणम् । पूजयित्वा नरो नित्यं शिवसायुज्यमाप्नुयात्

Transliteration

bhuktimuktipradaṃ liṃgaṃ vividhāpannivāraṇam | pūjayitvā naro nityaṃ śivasāyujyamāpnuyāt

Translation

یہ لِنگ بھوگ اور موکش دونوں عطا کرتا ہے اور طرح طرح کی آفتوں کو دور کرتا ہے۔ جو انسان اس کی نِت پوجا کرے، وہ شِو-سایُجیہ (شِو سے یگانگت) پاتا ہے۔

Word by Word

• भुक्ति-मुक्ति-प्रदम्: granting enjoyment and liberation
• भुक्ति-मुक्ति-प्रदम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + मुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying लिङ्गम्); समाहारार्थे (giver of enjoyment and liberation)

• लिङ्गम्: the liṅga
• लिङ्गम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; कर्म

• विविध-आपद्-निवारणम्: removing various misfortunes
• विविध-आपद्-निवारणम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विविध (प्रातिपदिक) + आपद् (प्रातिपदिक) + निवारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying लिङ्गम्); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (remover of various calamities)

• पूजयित्वा: having worshipped
• पूजयित्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त; त्वा-प्रत्यय (क्त्वान्त अव्यय/gerund), पूर्वकाल (having worshipped)

• नरः: a man/person
• नरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; कर्ता

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kala-adhikarana (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावे प्रयुक्तम्; क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial accusative)

• शिव-सायुज्यम्: union with Śiva
• शिव-सायुज्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + सायुज्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; कर्म; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (union with Śiva)

• आप्नुयात्: may attain
• आप्नुयात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Viśvanātha

Sthala Purana: Kāśī/Viśveśvara tradition strongly associates Śiva’s anugraha with both bhukti (well-being) and mukti (liberation), culminating in sāyujya; the verse mirrors that Kāśī promise in generalized liṅga terms.

Significance: Promises both artha-kāma fulfillment and mokṣa, plus apad-nivāraṇa (warding calamities), making liṅga-arcana a complete refuge for householders and renunciants alike.

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Linga

FAQs

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

It presents the Śiva-liṅga as the compassionate means that grants both bhukti (rightful worldly well-being) and mukti (release from bondage), culminating in Śiva-sāyujya—liberating communion with Śiva through steady devotion.

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

The verse affirms Saguna worship through the liṅga as a direct, accessible support for devotion: by honoring the liṅga-form of Śiva with regular pūjā, the devotee is protected from adversities and led toward liberation.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Daily liṅga-pūjā is recommended—offering water, flowers, and prayer; it is naturally paired with japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” as a focused meditative worship.