Shloka 40

Pārthiva-Śiva-liṅga Saṃkhyā-vidhāna

Enumeration and Procedure of Earthen Liṅga Worship

Devanagari script

किं बहूक्तेन मुनयः स्त्रीणामपि तथान्यतः । अधिकारोस्ति सर्वेषां शिवलिंगार्चने द्विजाः

Transliteration

kiṃ bahūktena munayaḥ strīṇāmapi tathānyataḥ | adhikārosti sarveṣāṃ śivaliṃgārcane dvijāḥ

Translation

诸位牟尼啊，又何必多言？女子亦然，其他众人亦然：一切众生皆具礼拜湿婆林伽之资格，噢二次生者。

Word by Word

• किम्: what
• किम्: सम्बन्ध (Discourse/प्रश्न)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; प्रश्नार्थक-प्रयोगः

• बहूक्तेन: with much saying / by many words
• बहूक्तेन: करण (Karaṇa/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बहु-उक्त (प्रातिपदिक; उक्त = वच्-क्त कृदन्ताधारित)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (बहु च तत् उक्तम्)

• मुनयः: O sages / sages
• मुनयः: सम्बोधन/कर्ता (Addressed/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• स्त्रीणाम्: of women
• स्त्रीणाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: सम्बन्ध/निपात (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अप्यर्थक-अव्यय (also/even)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb: likewise)

• अन्यतः: otherwise / in other cases
• अन्यतः: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb: 'otherwise/from elsewhere')

• अधिकारः: eligibility/right
• अधिकारः: कर्ता (Kartā/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अधिकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अस्ति: is/exists
• अस्ति: क्रिया (Kriyā/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• सर्वेषाम्: of all
• सर्वेषाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• शिवलिङ्गार्चने: in the worship of the Śiva-liṅga
• शिवलिङ्गार्चने: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव-लिङ्ग-अर्चन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; समासः (शिवस्य लिङ्गम्) + (तस्य अर्चनम्) — बहु-तत्पुरुषप्रकृतिः

• द्विजाः: O twice-born (brāhmaṇas)
• द्विजाः: सम्बोधन (Sambodhana/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; सम्भोधनार्थेऽपि (vocative sense in address)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Doctrinal assertion of adhikāra: liṅga-arcana is open to women and ‘others’; the text frames Śiva as Paśupati, Lord of all beings, thus extending devotional access beyond Vedic ritual eligibility.

Significance: Encourages universal participation in Śiva worship; supports community-wide temple devotion and household liṅga-pūjā.

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It affirms that Śiva’s grace and access to liṅga-worship are universal: devotion (bhakti) and sincere approach matter more than social category, supporting the Shaiva Siddhanta emphasis on Śiva as the compassionate Pati who uplifts all beings.

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

The liṅga is the accessible, sacred focus for worship of Saguna Śiva, through which devotees approach the transcendent (Nirguna) reality; the verse states that this method of approach is open to everyone.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Take up regular Śiva-liṅga archana with offerings (water, bilva leaves) and japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” emphasizing purity of intention and steady devotion.