Shloka 21

Kāmarūpeśvara’s Trial and Śiva’s Hidden Protection (कামरूपेश्वर-रक्षा-प्रसङ्गः)

Devanagari script

इति श्रीशिवमहापुराणे चतुर्थ्यां कोटिरुद्रसंहितायां भीमेश्वरज्योतिर्लिङ्गोत्पत्तिमाहात्म्यवर्णनं नामैकविंशोऽध्यायः

Transliteration

iti śrīśivamahāpurāṇe caturthyāṃ koṭirudrasaṃhitāyāṃ bhīmeśvarajyotirliṅgotpattimāhātmyavarṇanaṃ nāmaikaviṃśo'dhyāyaḥ

Translation

So endet im Śrī Śiva‑Mahāpurāṇa, im Vierten Buch, der Koṭirudra‑Saṃhitā, das einundzwanzigste Kapitel mit dem Titel: „Darlegung der Größe und des Erscheinens des Bhīmeśvara‑Jyotirliṅga“.

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: Nipata (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; वाक्य-समाप्ति/उद्धरण-चिह्न (quotative/closure particle)

• श्री-शिव-महा-पुराणे: in the Śrī Śiva Mahāpurāṇa
• श्री-शिव-महा-पुराणे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री (प्रातिपदिक) + शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + महा (प्रातिपदिक) + पुराण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; बहुपद-समासः (title-compound)

• चतुर्थ्याम्: in the fourth
• चतुर्थ्याम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर्थी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (संहितायाम्)

• कोटिरुद्र-संहितायाम्: in the Koṭirudra-saṃhitā
• कोटिरुद्र-संहितायाम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोटि (प्रातिपदिक) + रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक) + संहिता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (कोटिरुद्राणां संहिता)

• भीमेश्वर-ज्योतिः-लिङ्ग-उत्पत्ति-माहात्म्य-वर्णनम्: the description of the greatness of the origin of the Bhīmeśvara Jyotirliṅga
• भीमेश्वर-ज्योतिः-लिङ्ग-उत्पत्ति-माहात्म्य-वर्णनम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीमेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक) + ज्योतिः (प्रातिपदिक) + लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्पत्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + माहात्म्य (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्णन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष-समासः (topic-title)

• नाम: named
• नाम: Nipata (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; नाम-निर्देशक (particle meaning 'named/called')

• एकविंशः: twenty-first
• एकविंशः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एकविंश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (एक + विंशति = 21)

• अध्यायः: chapter
• अध्यायः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Bhīmaśaṃkara

Sthala Purana: Colophon summarizing the chapter as the ‘origin and greatness’ (utpatti-māhātmya) of the Bhīmeśvara Jyotirliṅga—Śiva’s self-disclosure as the Lord of beings (Paśupati) in a specific sacred geography.

Significance: Hearing/reciting the māhātmya is traditionally credited with merit akin to tīrtha-yātrā; it frames the site as a locus of Śiva’s saving presence.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Bhimeshvara Jyotirlinga

FAQs

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

This is the chapter-colophon marking the completion of the Bhīmeśvara Jyotirliṅga Māhātmya, affirming that Śiva’s luminous Liṅga manifests for the uplift of devotees and that hearing/remembering its glory is a purifying act supporting bhakti and liberation-oriented living.

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

By naming the “Jyotirliṅga,” it points to Śiva’s saguna, worship-accessible manifestation as the Liṅga—where the transcendent (nirguṇa) reality is approached through a sacred, grace-filled form (saguṇa) for darśana, pūjā, and remembrance.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The verse functions as a cue for śravaṇa and smaraṇa—devotional hearing and remembrance of the Jyotirliṅga Māhātmya—often paired in practice with Liṅga-pūjā, pañcākṣarī japa (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), and traditional Śaiva observances like bhasma (tripuṇḍra) and rudrākṣa.