Shloka 8

Pārthiva-Śiva-liṅga Saṃkhyā-vidhāna

Enumeration and Procedure of Earthen Liṅga Worship

Devanagari script

नरः पार्थिवलिंगानां धनार्थी च तदर्द्धकम् । पुत्रार्थी सार्द्धसाहस्रं वस्त्रार्थी शतपंचक्रम्

Transliteration

naraḥ pārthivaliṃgānāṃ dhanārthī ca tadarddhakam | putrārthī sārddhasāhasraṃ vastrārthī śatapaṃcakram

Translation

Người cầu phú quý nên nặn một nghìn Śiva-liṅga bằng đất; người cầu tiền tài thì làm một nửa số ấy. Người cầu con trai nên làm một nghìn năm trăm; người cầu y phục nên làm năm trăm.

Word by Word

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• पार्थिवलिङ्गानाम्: of earthly (clay) liṅgas
• पार्थिवलिङ्गानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थिव-लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक; पार्थिव + लिङ्ग)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (पार्थिवस्य लिङ्गम्)

• धनार्थी: one desiring wealth
• धनार्थी: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; apposition to नरः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धन-अर्थिन् (प्रातिपदिक; धन + अर्थिन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (धनस्य अर्थी)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• तत्: that (amount)
• तत्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अर्धकम्: a half (portion)
• अर्धकम्: Karma (कर्म/Object; with तत्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्धक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पुत्रार्थी: one desiring a son
• पुत्रार्थी: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र-अर्थिन् (प्रातिपदिक; पुत्र + अर्थिन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (पुत्रस्य अर्थी)

• सार्धसाहस्रम्: one and a half thousand
• सार्धसाहस्रम्: Karma (कर्म/Object; implied offering/count)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स-अर्ध-साहस्र (प्रातिपदिक; सह + अर्ध + साहस्र)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; संख्या-प्रयोगः (1500)

• वस्त्रार्थी: one desiring clothes
• वस्त्रार्थी: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वस्त्र-अर्थिन् (प्रातिपदिक; वस्त्र + अर्थिन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (वस्त्रस्य अर्थी)

• शतपञ्चक्रम्: five hundred
• शतपञ्चक्रम्: Karma (कर्म/Object; implied offering/count)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत-पञ्चक (प्रातिपदिक; शत + पञ्चक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (शतं पञ्चकानि = 500)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva’s worship-instructions to the sages of Naimisharanya, as typical for the Vidyeshvara/Viśveśvara section)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: A results-oriented (kāmya) mapping: different worldly aims (prosperity/wealth/son/garments) correspond to different counts of earthen liṅgas fashioned and worshipped.

Significance: Shows Śiva as the sustainer of household welfare (sthiti) when approached through disciplined devotion; also implicitly warns that desires are graded and should be regulated through dharma.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Linga

FAQs

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

It teaches that disciplined, repeated Parthiva-Linga worship trains the mind in steady devotion (bhakti) toward Saguna Shiva, making worldly aims subordinate to reverence for Śiva and purification of intention.

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

The earthen liṅga is a tangible focus for Saguna worship: by repeatedly forming and honoring the liṅga with faith, the devotee offers action and desire into Śiva, who is approached through symbol and rite while pointing beyond to the Supreme (Pati).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Parthiva-Linga pūjā: shaping clay liṅgas in prescribed numbers and worshipping them with mantra (commonly the Pañcākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), offering water/flowers, and maintaining purity and concentration throughout the vow.