Shloka 44

Ghuśmeśa-jyotirliṅga-māhātmya

The Greatness of the Ghuśmeśa Jyotirlinga

Devanagari script

कनिष्ठा चैव या पत्नी स्वस्रनुज्ञामवाप्य च । पार्थिवान्सा चकाराशु श्रियमेकोत्तरं शतम्

Transliteration

kaniṣṭhā caiva yā patnī svasranujñāmavāpya ca | pārthivānsā cakārāśu śriyamekottaraṃ śatam

Translation

Daraufhin ließ die jüngere Gattin, nachdem sie die Zustimmung ihrer Schwester erlangt hatte, eilends einhunderteins irdene Liṅgas anfertigen, um segensreiche Wohlfahrt zu erlangen.

Word by Word

• kaniṣṭhā: the youngest (sister/wife)
• kaniṣṭhā: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kaniṣṭhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction/and)

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-निपात (particle of emphasis/indeed)

• yā: who
• yā: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (यद्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• patnī: wife
• patnī: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: patnī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• svasṛ-anujñām: the sister’s permission
• svasṛ-anujñām: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svasṛ (स्वसृ-प्रातिपदिक) + anujñā (अनुज्ञा-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative): स्वसुः अनुज्ञा = sister's permission

• avāpya: having obtained
• avāpya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/preceding action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ava√āp (अव+आप् धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘having obtained’

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction/and)

• pārthivān: kings
• pārthivān: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pārthiva (पार्थिव-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• sā: she
• sā: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• cakāra: made/did
• cakāra: Kriyā (क्रिया/finite verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (कृ धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• āśu: quickly
• āśu: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: āśu (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb/quickly)

• śriyam: prosperity/fortune
• śriyam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī (श्री-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• eka-uttaram: one more (i.e., plus one)
• eka-uttaram: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/qualifier of śatam)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (एक-प्रातिपदिक) + uttara (उत्तर-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: एकेन उत्तरम् = ‘one more (than)’; संख्याविशेषण

• śatam: a hundred
• śatam: Karma (कर्म/Object; measure/number)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śata (शत-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; संख्यावाचक

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Liṅgodbhava

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: The episode anticipates the Ghuṣmeśvara/Ghṛṣṇeśvara tradition: a devoted woman fashions many earthen liṅgas as daily worship, leading to Śiva’s manifestation and the sanctification of the place as a liṅga-sthāna.

Significance: Merit from repeated liṅga-pūjā and the ideal of steadfast bhakti; associated with fulfillment of auspicious aims (śrī) and ultimately Śiva’s protective grace.

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: oṃ namaḥ śivāya

Type: panchakshara

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Linga

FAQs

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

It highlights parthiva-liṅga worship—devotion expressed through simple, accessible materials—showing that sincere bhakti and reverence to Shiva as Pati can generate auspiciousness and spiritual merit.

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

The earthen liṅga is a tangible (saguṇa) focus for worship, allowing the devotee to concentrate mind and offerings toward Shiva; through this form-based worship, one is led toward the higher realization of Shiva beyond form.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Parthiva-liṅga nirmāṇa and pūjā—making 101 clay liṅgas and worshipping them with mantra (especially the pañcākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), along with simple offerings such as water and bilva leaves.