Shloka 10

महाकालज्योतिर्लिङ्गमाहात्म्ये चन्द्रसेन-चिन्तामणि-प्रसङ्गः

Mahākāla Jyotirliṅga Māhātmya: The Episode of King Candrasena and the Cintāmaṇi

Devanagari script

नृपा मत्सरिणस्सर्वे तं मणिं चन्द्रसेनतः । नानोपायैरयाचंत देवलब्धमबुद्धयः

Transliteration

nṛpā matsariṇassarve taṃ maṇiṃ candrasenataḥ | nānopāyairayācaṃta devalabdhamabuddhayaḥ

Translation

Alle Könige, von Neid verzehrt, versuchten mit verschiedenen Mitteln, Candrasena dieses Juwel abzubetteln – törichte Männer, denn es war durch die Gnade der Götter erlangt worden.

Word by Word

• nṛpāḥ: kings
• nṛpāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nṛpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• matsariṇaḥ: jealous, envious
• matsariṇaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: matsarin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• sarve: all
• sarve: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• tam: that
• tam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); सर्वनाम

• maṇim: gem
• maṇim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maṇi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• candrasenataḥ: from Candrasena
• candrasenataḥ: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: candrasena (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Ablative adverbial form with -tas (तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय), meaning 'from'; based on proper noun

• nānā-upāyaiḥ: by various means
• nānā-upāyaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nānā (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + upāya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन); कर्मधारयः (नानाविधाः उपायाः)

• ayācanta: begged/asked
• ayācanta: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √yāc (याच् धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), Active voice (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन); augment a-

• deva-labdham: obtained from/by a god
• deva-labdham: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक) + labdha (प्रातिपदिक; from √labh)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (देवेन लब्धम् / देवस्य लब्धम्)

• abuddhayaḥ: the foolish ones
• abuddhayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: abuddhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); नञ्-समास/उपसर्गः a- (negation)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Mahākāleśvara

Sthala Purana: Within the Mahākāla episode, the jewel is explicitly ‘deva-labdha’—a gift aligned with divine dispensation. The envious kings’ attempts to procure it by stratagem dramatize the futility of grasping at grace as an object.

Significance: Teaches that Mahākāla’s gifts are not commodities; the proper approach is bhakti and surrender, not manipulation—transforming pāśa (matsara) into humility.

Characters & Entities

• Candrasena

FAQs

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

It teaches that divine gifts arise from grace and merit, not from envy-driven demand; jealousy blinds discernment and blocks the Shaiva path of humility and devotion.

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

In Jyotirlinga-centered narratives of the Koṭirudrasaṃhitā, divine presence is approached through reverent bhakti to Saguna Shiva, not through possessiveness; grace (anugraha) is the true means of attainment.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Cultivate bhakti and humility through japa of the Panchakshara (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and simple Shiva-upāsanā, replacing envy with reverence and surrender.