Shiva Purana — Vidyesvara Samhita, Shloka 25

Pārthiva-Śiva-liṅga-māhātmya

The Excellence of the Earthen Śiva Liṅga

Devanagari script

निष्कामः पूजयेन्नित्यं पार्थिवंलिंगमुत्तमम् । शिवलोके सदा तिष्ठेत्ततः सायुज्यमाप्नुयात्

Transliteration

niṣkāmaḥ pūjayennityaṃ pārthivaṃliṃgamuttamam | śivaloke sadā tiṣṭhettataḥ sāyujyamāpnuyāt

Translation

离于私欲者，当日日礼敬最胜之土制林伽（pārthiva）。此等信众恒住湿婆圣境，继而证得“萨尤吉亚”（sāyujya）——与主湿婆圆满合一。

Word by Word

• निष्कामः: desireless (person)
• निष्कामः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निः-काम (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative, 1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (desireless)

• पूजयेत्: should worship
• पूजयेत्: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पूज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण/adverb (always/regularly); नपुंसक-एकवचन-प्रयोगे अव्ययीभाव

• पार्थिवम्: earthen
• पार्थिवम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पार्थिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative, 2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण

• लिङ्गम्: liṅga (emblem)
• लिङ्गम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative, 2nd), एकवचन

• उत्तमम्: excellent
• उत्तमम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative, 2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण

• शिवलोके: in Śiva’s world
• शिवलोके: अधिकरण (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव-लोक (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative, 7th), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (शिवस्य लोकः)

• सदा: always
• सदा: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण/adverb (always)

• तिष्ठेत्: should abide
• तिष्ठेत्: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √स्था (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• ततः: thereafter
• ततः: सम्बन्ध/अव्यय (Relation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपादान/हेतु-अर्थे (thereafter/from that)

• सायुज्यम्: union (with Śiva)
• सायुज्यम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स-आयुज्य (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative, 2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (सह आयुज्यं/एकत्व-सम्बन्धः)

• आप्नुयात्: should attain
• आप्नुयात्: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-√आप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Viśvanātha

Sthala Purana: Daily worship (nitya-pūjā) of a pārthiva-liṅga is presented as an accessible sādhana culminating in Śiva-loka and then sāyujya; in Kāśī/Viśveśvara framing, this mirrors the promise of liberation through steadfast Śiva-bhakti purified of desire.

Significance: Encourages nitya-liṅga-pūjā as a direct means to grace culminating in liberation; aligns with Kāśī’s reputation as a mokṣa-kṣetra.

Mantra Metadata

Type: panchakshara

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Linga

FAQs

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

It teaches that desireless (niṣkāma) devotion purifies the soul (paśu) from bondage (pāśa) and culminates in sāyujya—liberating union with Pati, Lord Śiva—showing that inner intention is central to true worship.

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

The Liṅga is the accessible Saguna focus through which the devotee approaches the transcendent Lord; by daily worship of the pārthiva-liṅga, devotion matures from ritual form to realized closeness with Śiva, finally yielding sāyujya.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Daily Parthiva-Linga puja performed with a niṣkāma attitude—offering water, bilva leaves, and mantra-japa (especially the Pañcākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”)—is implied as the steady practice leading toward Śiva’s grace and liberation.