Linga Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 110

उमामहेश्वरव्रतं—पञ्चाक्षरमन्त्रस्य माहात्म्यं, न्यासः, जपविधिः, सदाचारः, विनियोगः

Devanagari script

शतं वै शङ्खमणिभिः प्रवालैश् च सहस्रकम् स्फाटिकैर् दशसाहस्रं मौक्तिकैर्लक्षमुच्यते

Transliteration

śataṃ vai śaṅkhamaṇibhiḥ pravālaiś ca sahasrakam sphāṭikair daśasāhasraṃ mauktikairlakṣamucyate

Translation

Bố thí được đo là “một trăm” thì nói là với ngọc từ vỏ ốc (śaṅkha-maṇi); với san hô thì gọi là “một nghìn”; với pha lê (sphaṭika) là “mười nghìn”; và với ngọc trai (mauktika) thì tuyên là “một lakh (một trăm nghìn)”—như vậy dạy về thứ bậc công đức của dāna để phụng thờ Śiva.

Word by Word

• शतम् (śatam): one hundred

• वै (vai): indeed

• शङ्खमणिभिः (śaṅkha-maṇibhiḥ): with conch-gems/jewels from conch

• प्रवालैः (pravālaiḥ): with corals

• च (ca): and

• सहस्रकम् (sahasrakam): a thousand

• स्फाटिकैः (sphāṭikaiḥ): with crystal/quartz

• दशसाहस्रम् (daśa-sāhasram): ten thousand

• मौक्तिकैः (mauktikaiḥ): with pearls

• लक्षम् (lakṣam): one lakh (100,000)

• उच्यते (ucyate): is said/declared

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

What is the importance of this verse in the context of Linga worship?

It ranks specific precious offerings used in Shiva-oriented dāna and pūjā, teaching that the substance offered (conch-gem, coral, crystal, pearl) corresponds to increasing spiritual merit that supports purification and devotion toward Pati (Shiva).

How does this verse describe the nature of Shiva (Shiva-tattva)?

Indirectly, it presents Shiva as Pati—the supreme recipient of sacred acts—where graded dāna becomes a means for the pashu (bound soul) to loosen pāśa (bondage) by accruing puṇya and cultivating bhakti oriented to Shiva-tattva.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Dāna as an auxiliary limb of Shiva-pūjā: offering valuable substances with right intention to build purity (śuddhi) and merit, which supports the aspirant’s discipline (including Pāśupata-oriented restraint and worship) even when explicit yoga techniques are not stated in this verse.