Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 39

लिङ्गप्रतिष्ठा-माहात्म्यम् / The Greatness of Liṅga Installation

Devanagari script

नापश्यदल्पमप्यस्य मूलं लिंगस्य सूकरः । तावत्कालं गतश्चोर्ध्वं तस्यांतं ज्ञातुमिच्छया

Transliteration

nāpaśyadalpamapyasya mūlaṃ liṃgasya sūkaraḥ | tāvatkālaṃ gataścordhvaṃ tasyāṃtaṃ jñātumicchayā

Translation

Dẫu đã trải qua thời gian dài, Hào Trư (Viṣṇu) vẫn không thấy dù chỉ một dấu vết nhỏ của chân đế Liṅga ấy. Rồi trong khoảng thời gian cũng lâu như vậy, Ngài lại đi lên, mong biết được giới hạn của nó; nhưng tìm đến tận cùng của dấu hiệu của Chúa Tể vẫn là điều không thể với tới.

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: Discourse/Negation (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negative particle)

• अपश्यत्: saw
• अपश्यत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पश्/दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (imperfect/past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अल्पम्: a little
• अल्पम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अल्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन (neut. acc. sg.)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Discourse/Modifier (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अप्यर्थक निपात (particle: even)

• अस्य: of this; of it
• अस्य: Shashthi-Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन (gen. sg.)

• मूलम्: root; base
• मूलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन (neut. acc. sg.)

• लिङ्गस्य: of the liṅga
• लिङ्गस्य: Shashthi-Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन (gen. sg.)

• सूकरः: the boar (Varāha)
• सूकरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन (masc. nom. sg.)

• तावत्-कालम्: for that long a time
• तावत्-कालम्: Kala-adhikarana (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तावत् (प्रातिपदिक) + काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘तावत् कालः’ (acc. sg., duration)

• गतः: went; having gone
• गतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle used actively), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन (masc. nom. sg.)

• च: and
• च: Discourse/Connector (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• ऊर्ध्वम्: upwards
• ऊर्ध्वम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ऊर्ध्व (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययवत्)
• Form: दिशा/स्थान-अव्यय (adverb: upward)

• तस्य: of that
• तस्य: Shashthi-Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन (gen. sg.)

• अन्तम्: end; limit
• अन्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन (masc. acc. sg.)

• ज्ञातुम्: to know
• ज्ञातुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), ‘to know’

• इच्छया: by desire; with the wish
• इच्छया: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इच्छा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन (instr. sg.)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Liṅgodbhava

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: The failure to find the mūla (base) and anta (end) of the Liṅga dramatizes Śiva’s ananta-svarūpa; the liṅga is not a finite object but the Lord’s transcendent sign, accessible by grace rather than measurement.

Significance: Meditation on the unfindable base/end supports vairāgya and surrender; it is a didactic template for approaching liṅga-darśana with humility.

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Ananta-stambha (infinite pillar) as cosmological axis beyond spatial-temporal traversal (varṣa-sahasra as narrative hyperbole for immeasurability).

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Vishnu
• Linga

FAQs

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

It teaches that Śiva as Pati (the Supreme Lord) is beginningless and endless; the finite intellect cannot measure Him. True knowing arises through grace, humility, and devotion—not by prideful conquest of limits.

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

The Liṅga here is the sacred sign of Śiva’s boundless reality: worship focuses the mind on the Infinite through a tangible form, showing that Saguna worship can lead the seeker toward the transcendent truth beyond measure.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Adopt humble Liṅga-bhakti: meditate on Śiva as infinite while chanting the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” offering water and bilva leaves with the attitude of surrender rather than attempting to ‘grasp’ the Divine by force.