Shloka 20
ज्योतिर्लिङ्ग-तदुपलिङ्ग-माहात्म्यवर्णनम्
Narration of the Greatness of the Jyotirliṅga and Associated Liṅgas
ज्योतिर्लिंगानि यानीह मुख्यमुख्यानि सत्तम । तान्यहं कथयाम्यद्य श्रुत्वा पापं व्यपोहति
jyotirliṃgāni yānīha mukhyamukhyāni sattama | tānyahaṃ kathayāmyadya śrutvā pāpaṃ vyapohati
O Bester unter den Tugendhaften, heute will ich jene Jyotirlingas, die Licht-Liṅgas, die vornehmsten der vornehmsten hier, verkünden. Wer davon hört, dessen Sünde wird hinweggetrieben.
Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages at Naimisharanya)
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Sadāśiva
Sthala Purana: Formal announcement of the Jyotirliṅga catalogue: ‘foremost among the foremost’ luminous liṅgas whose narration itself dispels sin—prelude to naming the twelve.
Significance: Śravaṇa of Jyotirliṅga-nāma and māhātmya is treated as a merit-generating act; pilgrimage to these kṣetras is implied as a superior means of pāpa-kṣaya and Śiva-prasāda.
Type: stotra
Role: liberating
Offering: dipa
FAQs
It teaches that śravaṇa (devotional hearing) of the foremost Jyotirlinga glories purifies the mind and burns pāpa, turning the seeker toward Śiva as Pati (the liberating Lord) and supporting the path to moksha.
The Jyotirlinga is a saguna focus through which devotees approach the transcendent Śiva; the verse frames the Jyotirlingas as especially potent manifestations whose remembrance and hearing awaken bhakti and remove impurities.
Regularly listen to or recite Jyotirlinga māhātmya with devotion (śravaṇa–kīrtana), ideally alongside simple Śiva-upāsanā such as japa of “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” and respectful linga-darśana when possible.