Shloka 6

Pārthiva-Śiva-liṅga Saṃkhyā-vidhāna

Enumeration and Procedure of Earthen Liṅga Worship

Devanagari script

प्रथमावाहनं तत्र प्रतिष्ठा पूजनं पृथक् । लिंगाकारं समं तत्र सर्वं ज्ञेयं पृथक्पृथक्

Transliteration

prathamāvāhanaṃ tatra pratiṣṭhā pūjanaṃ pṛthak | liṃgākāraṃ samaṃ tatra sarvaṃ jñeyaṃ pṛthakpṛthak

Translation

وہاں پہلے آواہن ہوتا ہے؛ پھر پرتِشٹھا اور پوجن—ہر ایک عمل جداگانہ طور پر ادا کیا جائے۔ اس پوجا میں لِنگ کے آکار کو یکساں اور کامل سمجھا جائے، مگر تمام اجزائی رسومات کو الگ الگ سمجھ کر اپنے اپنے طریقے سے انجام دیا جائے۔

Word by Word

• प्रथम-आवाहनम्: the first invocation
• प्रथम-आवाहनम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रथम-आवाहन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: कर्मधारय (प्रथमम् आवाहनम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; neuter nom/acc sg

• तत्र: there; in that context
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (locative adverb)

• प्रतिष्ठा: installation; consecration
• प्रतिष्ठा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रतिष्ठा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; feminine nominative singular

• पूजनम्: worship
• पूजनम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; neuter nom/acc sg

• पृथक्: separately
• पृथक्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पृथक् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; भेदवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of separation)

• लिङ्ग-आकारम्: the liṅga-form; shape of the liṅga
• लिङ्ग-आकारम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग-आकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: तत्पुरुष (लिङ्गस्य आकारः); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; masculine accusative singular

• समम्: equal; uniformly
• समम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; neuter nom/acc sg (adverbial sense: 'equally')

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (locative adverb)

• सर्वम्: everything
• सर्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; neuter nom/acc sg

• ज्ञेयम्: should be known
• ज्ञेयम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु) → ज्ञेय (कृदन्त, तव्यत्)
• Form: कर्तरि/कर्मणि तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive: 'to be known'), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; neuter nom/acc sg

• पृथक्-पृथक्: each separately; distinctly
• पृथक्-पृथक्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पृथक् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; पुनरुक्ति (reduplication) for emphasis

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmi (narrating Shiva’s worship-teachings to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Linga

FAQs

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

It teaches disciplined devotion: Saguna worship of Shiva as the Liṅga must be done with clarity of sequence and intention—invoking, establishing, and worshipping as distinct inner and outer acts—so the mind becomes one-pointed and fit for Shiva’s grace.

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

The verse frames the Liṅga as a complete, uniform focus of Saguna worship while insisting that the ritual limbs (āvāhana, pratiṣṭhā, pūjana) remain distinct. This preserves both reverence for Shiva’s manifested form and correctness of the worship-method.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Follow a clear Linga-pūjā sequence: consciously invoke Shiva (āvāhana), inwardly ‘seat’ Him through steadiness and mantra, then offer worship. Practically, this aligns well with japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) alongside orderly offerings (water, bilva, etc.).