Shloka 56

Ghuśmā–Sudehā: Jealousy, Household Honor, and the Ethics of Śaiva Merit (गुश्मा–सुदेहा प्रसङ्गः)

Devanagari script

एतज्ज्योतिर्लिंगकथां यः पठेच्छृणुयादपि । मुच्यते सर्वपापेभ्यो भुक्तिं मुक्तिं च विंदति

Transliteration

etajjyotirliṃgakathāṃ yaḥ paṭhecchṛṇuyādapi | mucyate sarvapāpebhyo bhuktiṃ muktiṃ ca viṃdati

Translation

مَن يتلو—أو حتى يَسمع—هذه الحكاية المقدّسة عن الجيوترلينغا (Jyotirliṅga) يتحرّر من جميع الخطايا، وبنعمة شيفا (Śiva)، الباتي الأعلى، ينال كلاً من البهوكتي (التمام الدنيوي) والمُكتي (الخلاص النهائي).

Word by Word

• etat: this
• etat: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: etad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); ‘कथाम्’ इति विशेषणम्

• jyotirliṅga-kathām: the story of the Jyotirliṅga(s)
• jyotirliṅga-kathām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jyotis + liṅga + kathā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (ज्योतिर्लिङ्गस्य/ज्योतिर्लिङ्गानां कथा)

• yaḥ: who (he who)
• yaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• paṭhet: should read
• paṭhet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: paṭh (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• śṛṇuyāt: should listen
• śṛṇuyāt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• api: even/also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावन/अपि-कारक-अव्यय (particle: even/also)

• mucyate: is freed
• mucyate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: muc (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोगः (passive: ‘is released’)

• sarvapāpebhyaḥ: from all sins
• sarvapāpebhyaḥ: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva + pāpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), बहुवचन (Plural); कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष (सर्वे पापाः)

• bhuktim: enjoyment
• bhuktim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhukti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• muktim: liberation
• muktim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mukti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• vindati: attains/finds
• vindati: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vid (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Phala-śruti: hearing/reciting the Jyotirliṅga narrative itself functions as a salvific act, purifying pāpa and granting bhukti–mukti.

Significance: Śravaṇa-pāṭha is elevated to a ‘portable pilgrimage’: merit of tīrtha-yātrā is accessed through kathā-śravaṇa, culminating in Śiva’s prasāda.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Jyotirlinga

FAQs

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

It states the phalaśruti (fruit of listening/reciting): the Jyotirliṅga narrative purifies karmic sin and, by Śiva’s grace, bestows both dharmic prosperity (bhukti) and ultimate release (mukti).

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

The Jyotirliṅga is Śiva’s accessible, saguna manifestation of infinite light; hearing its mahātmya is itself an act of bhakti and smaraṇa that connects the devotee to Śiva as Pati, the liberator.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Regular śravaṇa (listening) and pāṭha (recitation) of Jyotirliṅga-kathā—ideally with japa of the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” and simple Liṅga-pūjā (water/abhisheka) on auspicious days like Mahāśivarātri.