NŪ RONDU STHALAS OR EKŌTTARASATASTHALA (one hundred and one sthalas): [ನೊರೊಂದು ಸ್ಥಲ ಅಥವಾ ಏಕೋತ್ತರ ಷಟಸ್ಥಲ]

The Vachana-writers believe that a Lingayat's spiritual development can be divided into six sthalas, namely, (in ascending order), bhakta, mahēśa, prasādi, prānalingi, sharana and aikya. [ಭಕ್ತ, ಮಹೇಶ, ಪ್ರಸಾದಿ, ಪ್ರಾಣಲಿಂಗಿ, ಶರಣ ಮತ್ತು ಐಕ್ಯ] But many Vachana-writers mention one hundred and one sthalas, which are broadly classified under two heads, Angasthala [ಅಂಗಸ್ಥಲ] and Lingasthala, [ಲಿಂಗಸ್ಥಲ] the former consisting of 44 sthalas and the latter 57 sthalas. Following are the forty-four sthalas enumerated under the six heads of anga-sthala:

1. There are 15 sthalas under Bhakta-sthala [ಭಕ್ತಸ್ಥಲ], namely, piṇḍa-sthala, piṇḍa-jñyāna-sthala, saṃsāra-hēya-sthala, gurukaruṇa-sthala, linga-dharaṇa-sthala, vibhūti-sthala, rudrākshi-sthala, pañcākṣari-sthala, bhkati-sthala, ubhaya-sthala, trividha-sampattina- sthala, caturvidha-sārāya-sthala, upādhi-māṭa-sthala, and sahaja-māṭa-sthala. [ಪಿಂಡ-ಸ್ಥಲ, ಪಿಂಡ-ಜ್ಞಾನ-ಸ್ಥಲ, ಸಂಸಾರ-ಹೇಯ-ಸ್ಥಲ, ಗುರುಕಾರುಣ್ಯ-ಸ್ಥಲ, ಲಿಂಗಧಾರಣ-ಸ್ಥಲ, ವಿಭೂತಿ-ಸ್ಥಲ, ರುದ್ರಾಕ್ಷಿ-ಸ್ಥಲ, ಪಂಚಾಕ್ಷರಿ-ಸ್ಥಲ, ಭಕ್ತಿ-ಸ್ಥಲ, ಉಭಯ-ಸ್ಥಲ, ತ್ರಿವಿಧ-ಸಂಪತ್ತಿನ-ಸ್ಥಲ, ಚತುರ್ವಿಧ-ಸಾರಾಯ-ಸ್ಥಲ, ಉಪಾಧಿ-ಮಾಟ-ಸ್ಥಲ ಮತ್ತು ಸಹಜ-ಮಾಟ-ಸ್ಥಲ]

2. Under Mahēśa-sthala [ಮಹೇಶ-ಸ್ಥಲ] the following nine are listed: mahēśvara-sthala, linganiṩṭha-sthala, pūrvāśraya-nirasana-sthala, vāgadvaita-nirasana-sthala, āhvāna-nirasana-sthala, aṩṭatanu-mūrti-nirasana-sthala, sarvagata-nirasana-sthala, śiva-jaganmaya-sthala and bhkata-dēhika-linga-sthala. [ಮಾಹೇಶ್ವರ-ಸ್ಥಲ, ಲಿಂಗನಿಷ್ಠ-ಸ್ಥಲ, ಪೂರ್ವಾಶ್ರಯ-ನಿರಸನ-ಸ್ಥಲ, ವಾಗದ್ವೈತ-ನಿರಸನ-ಸ್ಥಲ, ಅಹ್ವಾನ-ನಿರಸನ-ಸ್ಥಲ, ಆಷ್ಟತನು-ಮೂರ್ತಿ-ನಿರಸನ-ಸ್ಥಲ, ಸರ್ವಗತ-ನಿರಸನ-ಸ್ಥಲ, ಶಿವ-ಜಗನ್ಮಾಯ-ಸ್ಥಲ, ಭಕ್ತ-ದೇಹಿಕ-ಲಿಂಗ-ಸ್ಥಲ]

3. Seven sthalas are listed under the Prāsadi-sthala [ಪ್ರಸಾದಿ-ಸ್ಥಲ], namely, prāsadi-sthala, guru-mahātmya-sthala, linga-mahātmya-sthala, sharana-mahātmya-sthala, jangama-mahātmya-sthala, bhakta-mahātmya-sthala and prasāda-mahātmya-sthala. [ಪ್ರಸಾದಿ-ಸ್ಥಲ, ಗುರು-ಮಹಾತ್ಯ್ಮ-ಸ್ಥಲ, ಲಿಂಗ-ಮಹಾತ್ಯ್ಮ-ಸ್ಥಲ, ಶರಣ-ಮಹಾತ್ಯ್ಮ-ಸ್ಥಲ, ಜಂಗಮ-ಮಹಾತ್ಯ್ಮ-ಸ್ಥಲ, ಭಕ್ತ-ಮಹಾತ್ಯ್ಮ-ಸ್ಥಲ, ಮತ್ತು ಪ್ರಸಾದ-ಮಹಾತ್ಯ್ಮ-ಸ್ಥಲ]

4. Prānalingi-sthala [ಪ್ರಾಣಲಿಂಗಿ-ಸ್ಥಲ] is divided into five, namely, prānalingi-sthala, prāṇa-lingārcana-sthala, śivayōgasamādhi-sthala, linganija-sthala and anga-linga-sthala. [ಪ್ರಾಣಲಿಂಗಿ-ಸ್ಥಲ, ಪ್ರಾಣ-ಲಿಂಗಾರ್ಚನ-ಸ್ಥಲ, ಶಿವಯೋಗಸಮಾಧಿ-ಸ್ಥಲ, ಲಿಂಗಾನಿಜ-ಸ್ಥಲ, ಮತ್ತು ಅಂಗ-ಲಿಂಗ-ಸ್ಥಲ]

5. Sharana-sthala [ಶರಣ-ಸ್ಥಲ] includes sharana-sthala, tāmasa-nirasana-sthala nirdēśa-sthala and śīlasampadanā-sthala. [ಶರಣ-ಸ್ಥಲ, ತಾಮಸ-ನಿರಸನ-ಸ್ಥಲ, ನಿರ್ದೇಶ-ಸ್ಥಲ ಮತ್ತು ಶೀಲ-ಸಂಪಾದನಾ-ಸ್ಥಲ]

6. The four sthalas coming under the Aikya-sthala [ಐಕ್ಯ-ಸ್ಥಲ] are aikya-sthala, sarvāchaara-sampattina-sthala, ēkabhājana-sthala and sahabhājana-sthala. [ಐಕ್ಯ-ಸ್ಥಲ, ಸರ್ವಾಚಾರ-ಸಂಪತ್ತಿನ-ಸ್ಥಲ, ಏಕಭಾಜನ-ಸ್ಥಲ, ಮತ್ತು ಸಹಭಾಜನ-ಸ್ಥಲ]

Following are the fifty-seven sthalas coming under the six heads of Linga-ṣaṭ-sthala: [ಲಿಂಗ ಷಟ-ಸ್ಥಲ]

1. Under the Āchār-linga-sthala [ಆಚಾರ-ಲಿಂಗ-ಸ್ಥಲ] nine, namely, dīkṣa-guru-sthala, śikṣa-guru-sthala, jñyāna-guru-sthala, kriyā-linga-sthala, bhāva-Linga-sthala, jñyāna-linga-sthala, svaya-sthala, cara-sthala and para-sthala [ದೀಕ್ಷಾ-ಗುರು-ಸ್ಥಲ, ಶಿಕ್ಷಾ-ಗುರು-ಸ್ಥಲ, ಜ್ಞಾನ-ಗುರು-ಸ್ಥಲ, ಕ್ರೀಯಾ-ಲಿಂಗ-ಸ್ಥಲ, ಭಾವ-ಲಿಂಗ-ಸ್ಥಲ, ಜ್ಞಾನ-ಲಿಂಗ-ಸ್ಥಲ, ಸ್ವಯ-ಸ್ಥಲ, ಚರ-ಸ್ಥಲ ಮತ್ತು ಪರ-ಸ್ಥಲ], are enumerated.

2. Kriyāgama-sthala, bhāvagama-sthala, jñyānāgama-sthala, sakāya-sthala, akāya-sthala, parakāya-sthala, bhāvāchār-sthala, dharmāchār-sthala and jñaṇāchār-sthala [ಕ್ರೀಯಾಗಮ-ಸ್ಥಲ, ಭಾವಾಗಮ-ಸ್ಥಲ, ಜ್ಞಾನಾಗಮ-ಸ್ಥಲ, ಸಕಾಯ-ಸ್ಥಲ, ಅಕಾಯ-ಸ್ಥಲ, ಪರಕಾಯ-ಸ್ಥಲ, ಭಾವಾಚಾರ-ಸ್ಥಲ, ಧರ್ಮಾಚಾರ-ಸ್ಥಲ, ಜ್ಞಾನಾಚಾರ-ಸ್ಥಲ] are sub-sthalas of Guru-Linga-sthala. [ಗುರು-ಲಿಂಗ-ಸ್ಥಲ]

3. Shivalinga-sthala [ಶಿವಲಿಂಗ-ಸ್ಥಲ] has nine sthalas, namely, kāyānugraha-sthala, indriyānugraha-sthala, prāṇānugraha-sthala, kāyārpita-sthala, karaṇārpita-sthala, bhāvārpita-sthala, śiṣya-sthala, śuśrūṣa-sthala and sēvya-sthala. [ಕಾಯಾನುಗ್ರಹ-ಸ್ಥಲ, ಇಂದ್ರಿಯಾನುಗ್ರಹ-ಸ್ಥಲ, ಪ್ರಾಣಾನುಗ್ರಹ-ಸ್ಥಲ, ಕಾಯಾರ್ಪಿತ-ಸ್ಥಲ, ಕಾರುಣ್ಯಾರ್ಪಿತ-ಸ್ಥಲ, ಭಾವಾರ್ಪಿತ-ಸ್ಥಲ, ಶಿಷ್ಯ-ಸ್ಥಲ, ಶುಶ್ರೊಷ್ಯ-ಸ್ಥಲ ಮತ್ತು ಸೇವ್ಯಾ-ಸ್ಥಲ]

4. Jangamalinga-sthala [ಜಂಗಮ-ಲಿಂಗ-ಸ್ಥಲ] includes jīvātma-sthala, antarātma-sthala, paramātma-sthala, nirdēhagāma-sthala, nirbhāvāgama-sthala, naṣṭāgama-sthala, ādi-prāsadi-sthala, antya-prasādi-sthala, sēvya-prasādi-sthala, dīkṣā-pādōdaka-sthala and jñyāna-pādōdaka- sthala. [ಜೀವಾತ್ಮ-ಸ್ಥಲ, ಅಂತರಾತ್ಮ-ಸ್ಥಲ, ಪರಮಾತ್ಮ-ಸ್ಥಲ, ನಿರ್ದೇಹಾಗಮ-ಸ್ಥಲ, ನಿರ್ಭಾವಾಗಮ-ಸ್ಥಲ, ನಿಷ್ಠಾಗಮ-ಸ್ಥಲ, ಆದಿ-ಪ್ರಸಾದಿ-ಸ್ಥಲ, ಅಂತ್ಯ-ಪ್ರಸಾದಿ-ಸ್ಥಲ, ಸೇವ್ಯಾ-ಪ್ರಸಾದಿ-ಸ್ಥಲ, ದೀಕ್ಷಾ-ಪಾದೋದಕ-ಸ್ಥಲ ಮತ್ತು ಜ್ಞಾನ-ಪಾದೋದಕ-ಸ್ಥಲ]

5. Kriyā-niṣpatti-sthala, bhāva-niṣpatti-sthala, jñyāna-niṣpatti-sthala, piṇḍākāśasthala, bindvākaśa-sthala, mahadakāśa-sthala, kriyā-prakāśa-sthala, bhāvaprakāśa- sthala, jñyāna-prakāśa-sthala [ಕ್ರೀಯಾ-ನಿಷ್ಫತ್ತಿ-ಸ್ಥಲ, ಭಾವ-ನಿಷ್ಫತ್ತಿ-ಸ್ಥಲ, ಜ್ಞಾನ-ನಿಷ್ಫತ್ತಿ-ಸ್ಥಲ, ಪಿಂಡಾಕಾಶ-ಸ್ಥಲ, ಬಿಂದುವಾಕಾಶ-ಸ್ಥಲ, ಮಹಾದಾಕಾಶ-ಸ್ಥಲ, ಕ್ರೀಯಾ-ಪ್ರಕಾಶ-ಸ್ಥಲ, ಭಾವ-ಪ್ರಕಾಶ-ಸ್ಥಲ, ಜ್ಞಾನ-ಪ್ರಕಾಶ-ಸ್ಥಲ] come under Prasāda-linga-sthala. [ಪ್ರಸಾದ-ಲಿಂಗ-ಸ್ಥಲ]

6. Mahālinga-sthala [ಮಹಾಲಿಂಗ-ಸ್ಥಲ] includes nine sthalas, namely, svīkṛtaprasāda-sthala, śiṣṭaudana-sthala, carācara-nāsti-sthala, bhāṇḍa-sthala, bhājana-sthala, angalēpa-sthala, svaparājñā-sthala, bhāvābhāvalaya-sthala and jñyānaśūnya-sthala. [ಸ್ವಿಕೃತ-ಪ್ರಸಾದ-ಸ್ಥಲ, ಶಿಷ್ಠಾವಧಾನ-ಸ್ಥಲ, ಚರಾಚರ-ನಾಸ್ತಿ-ಸ್ಥಲ, ಭಾಂಡ-ಸ್ಥಲ, ಭಾಜನ-ಸ್ಥಲ, ಅಂಗಲೇಪ-ಸ್ಥಲ, ಸ್ವಪ್ರಜ್ಞಾ-ಸ್ಥಲ, ಭಾವಾಭಾವಾಲಯ-ಸ್ಥಲ ಮತ್ತು ಜ್ಞಾನಶೂನ್ಯ-ಸ್ಥಲ]

Broadly speaking, the difference between anga-ṣaṭ-sthala and linga-ṣat-sthala is one of degree. That is, whereas the former are meant for the beginner, the latter are meant for the advanced spiritual seeker. However, so far as practice is concerned, there is no difference between ṣaṭ (six)-sthalas and nūrondu (one hundred and one)-sthalas, because the one hundred and one sthalas are just the details of each of the six sthalas.

Another point to be noted is that the word ‘sthala’, in ‘ṣaṭ-sthala’ applies to six stages, while the sub-sthalas in each of the six stages are not stages but only aspects. For example, when the guru offers Ishtalinga to the aspirant out of compassion (karuṇya), it is called gurukaruṇya-sthala [ಗುರುಕಾರುಣ್ಯ-ಸ್ಥಲ]and Lingadharaṇa-sthala [ಲಿಂಗಧಾರಣ-ಸ್ಥಲ]. When the aspirant smears himself with vibhūti, wears rudrakshi, utters mantra and learns from the guru the proper method of worshipping ISHṬALINGA [ಇಷ್ಟಲಿಂಗ], it is simultaneously vibhūti-sthala, rudrakshi-sthala, pañcakṣari-sthala and bhakti-sthala.