Shiva Purana — Vidyesvara Samhita, Shloka 117

Praṇava-Māhātmya and the Twofold Mantra (Sūkṣma–Sthūla) in Śaiva Sādhanā

Devanagari script

प्रथमं मूलमायायाः स्थानं तत्रैव शोभनम् । ततः परं गर्भगृहं लिंगस्थानं परं शुभम्

Transliteration

prathamaṃ mūlamāyāyāḥ sthānaṃ tatraiva śobhanam | tataḥ paraṃ garbhagṛhaṃ liṃgasthānaṃ paraṃ śubham

Translation

首先，应在此处安立根本幻力（Mūla-Māyā）之庄严座。其后更进一层，当建胎藏殿（garbhagṛha）——为安置林伽（Liṅga）最为吉祥殊胜之所。

Word by Word

• प्रथमम्: first
• प्रथमम्: विशेषण (qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रथम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• मूल-मायायाः: of the root-māyā
• मूल-मायायाः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूल + माया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (मूला माया)

• स्थानम्: place; station
• स्थानम्: विधेय-नाम (predicate nominal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• एव: indeed; just
• एव: अवधारण (emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/अवधारण-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• शोभनम्: beautiful; auspicious
• शोभनम्: विशेषण (qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शोभन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• ततः: then; thereafter
• ततः: कालाधिकरण (temporal adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रम/अनन्तरता-वाचक (thereafter)

• परम्: next; further
• परम्: विशेषण (qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• गर्भगृहम्: sanctum; inner chamber
• गर्भगृहम्: विधेय-नाम (predicate nominal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गर्भ + गृह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (गर्भस्य गृहः)

• लिङ्ग-स्थानम्: the place of the liṅga
• लिङ्ग-स्थानम्: विधेय-नाम (apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग + स्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (लिङ्गस्य स्थानम्)

• परम्: supreme; excellent
• परम्: विशेषण (qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• शुभम्: auspicious
• शुभम्: विशेषण (qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Viśvanātha

Sthala Purana: The verse encodes a ritual-architectural theology: before the liṅga’s garbhagṛha, a seat of Mūla-Māyā is established—signaling that bondage/veiling is acknowledged and ritually ‘placed’ at the threshold, while the liṅga within is the supreme auspicious center.

Significance: Pilgrimage is portrayed as moving from the domain of Māyā (pāśa) toward the liṅga (Pati), enacting inner liberation through outer spatial progression.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: creative

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse lays out a sacred hierarchy in worship-space: the primordial power (Mūla-Māyā) is acknowledged, and then the devotee is led inward to the garbhagṛha where the Liṅga—Saguna Shiva as the grace-giving form of Pati—is स्थापित, indicating the movement from outer ordering to inner realization.

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

It explicitly identifies the garbhagṛha as the ‘liṅgasthāna,’ teaching that the Liṅga is the supreme auspicious focus for dhyāna and pūjā—Saguna Shiva accessible to the bound soul (paśu) for purification and liberation.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It implies disciplined, orderly temple-pūjā centered on the Liṅga in the sanctum—entering with purity, focusing the mind on Shiva, and performing japa such as the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) while offering water/abhisheka as appropriate.