Shloka 62

Andhakeśvara-liṅga Māhātmya and Śiva’s Subjugation of Andhaka (अन्धकेश्वरलिङ्गमाहात्म्य तथा अन्धकवध-प्रसङ्ग)

Devanagari script

तस्यैव नगरे राज्ञो भद्रस्य नित्यभोजने । प्राजापत्यस्य नियमे ह्यन्धकेशसमीपतः

Transliteration

tasyaiva nagare rājño bhadrasya nityabhojane | prājāpatyasya niyame hyandhakeśasamīpataḥ

Translation

In eben jener Stadt, nahe Andhakeśa, fand die tägliche heilige Speisung des Königs Bhadrā statt, vollzogen nach der Disziplinregel des Prajāpatya-Ritus.

Word by Word

• tasya: of him/that
• tasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine/Pronoun), Ṣaṣṭhī vibhakti (6th/षष्ठी), Ekavacana (Singular)

• eva: indeed, just
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Avadhāraṇa-nipāta (emphatic particle/अवधारण)

• nagare: in the city
• nagare: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nagara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुṃsakaliṅga (Neuter), Saptamī vibhakti (7th/सप्तमी), Ekavacana (Singular)

• rājñaḥ: of the king
• rājñaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine), Ṣaṣṭhī vibhakti (6th/षष्ठी), Ekavacana (Singular)

• bhadrasya: of (king) Bhadra
• bhadrasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhadra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine), Ṣaṣṭhī vibhakti (6th/षष्ठी), Ekavacana (Singular)

• nityabhojane: at the daily feast/meal
• nityabhojane: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nitya-bhojana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुṃsakaliṅga (Neuter), Saptamī vibhakti (7th/सप्तमी), Ekavacana (Singular); समास: nitya (नित्य ‘daily’) + bhojana (भोजन ‘meal/feast’)

• prājāpatyasya: of the Prajāpatya (rite/discipline)
• prājāpatyasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prājāpatya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine/Adj used substantively), Ṣaṣṭhī vibhakti (6th/षष्ठी), Ekavacana (Singular)

• niyame: in the observance/rule
• niyame: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: niyama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine), Saptamī vibhakti (7th/सप्तमी), Ekavacana (Singular)

• hi: indeed, for
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Nipāta (particle/निपात), hetu/avadhāraṇa nuance

• andhakeśa-samīpataḥ: from near Andhakeśa / in the vicinity of Andhakeśa
• andhakeśa-samīpataḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Adverbial location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: andhakeśa + samīpatas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya (indeclinable adverbial in -tas/तस्); समास: andhakeśa (अन्धकेश ‘Andhakeśa’, proper name) + samīpatas (समीपतस् ‘from near/nearby’)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Local narrative setup: in a certain city (near Andhakeśa), King Bhadrā maintains a daily ritual feeding conducted under prājāpatya discipline; this becomes the stage for illustrating the previously mentioned ‘viśeṣa’.

Significance: Models nitya-dāna/bhojana as supportive dharma for Śaiva life—purity, discipline, and right recipients are treated as spiritually consequential.

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• King Bhadra
• Andhakesha

FAQs

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

It highlights dharmic discipline (niyama) expressed through daily sacred feeding (annadāna), a purifying act that supports devotion and prepares the mind for Shiva-bhakti and grace.

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

In the Kotirudra context, disciplined rites and offerings such as regular feeding are supportive limbs of Saguna Shiva worship, aligning the devotee’s conduct with temple/pilgrimage observances around Shiva’s sacred abodes.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is regular annadāna performed with niyama (purity, restraint, and right intention), ideally alongside Shiva-mantra japa such as the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya).