Shloka 5

Devanagari script

गोकर्णे शिवलिंगानि विद्यन्ते कोटिकोटिशः । असंख्यातानि तीर्थानि तिष्ठन्ति च पदेपदे

Transliteration

gokarṇe śivaliṃgāni vidyante koṭikoṭiśaḥ | asaṃkhyātāni tīrthāni tiṣṭhanti ca padepade

Translation

In Gokarṇa gibt es Śiva-Liṅgas in Krore über Krore; und unzählige Tīrthas stehen dort, Schritt für Schritt.

Word by Word

• गोकर्णे: in Gokarṇa
• गोकर्णे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोकर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन; स्थानवाचक

• शिव-लिङ्गानि: Śiva-liṅgas
• शिव-लिङ्गानि: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), बहुवचन; समासः—(शिवस्य लिङ्गानि)

• विद्यन्ते: are found / exist
• विद्यन्ते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद; धात्वर्थः—अस्ति/उपलभ्यते

• कोटि-कोटि-शः: by crores upon crores
• कोटि-कोटि-शः: Visheshana (विशेषण/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कोटि (प्रातिपदिक) + कोटि (प्रातिपदिक) + शस् (प्रत्यय/अव्ययार्थ)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (adverb of manner/measure)

• असंख्यातानि: countless
• असंख्यातानि: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: असंख्यात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), बहुवचन; विशेषण (तीर्थानि)

• तीर्थानि: pilgrimage-places
• तीर्थानि: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), बहुवचन

• तिष्ठन्ति: stand / remain
• तिष्ठन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• पदे-पदे: at every step / everywhere
• पदे-पदे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव; सप्तमी-द्विवचनरूपेण पुनरुक्तिः; अव्ययार्थः—प्रत्येकं स्थाने (adverb: at every step/place)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the tīrtha-mahātmya to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Gokarṇa is portrayed as a hyper-sacralized landscape: innumerable Śivaliṅgas (koṭi-koṭi) and countless tīrthas ‘at every step’. This is a classic purāṇic intensification indicating the kṣetra as a dense field of Śiva-sannidhi, where worship opportunities are inexhaustible.

Significance: Encourages repeated darśana, pradakṣiṇā, and multi-tīrtha snāna; frames the entire terrain as a living temple, sustaining devotees (sthiti) through constant access to liṅga and tīrtha.

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse proclaims Gokarṇa as an exceptionally concentrated field of Śiva-presence—where devotion (bhakti) is strengthened through repeated darśana of liṅgas and contact with tīrthas, supporting purification and steady orientation toward Pati (Śiva) as the liberating Lord.

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

By emphasizing innumerable Śiva-liṅgas, it highlights Saguna worship through the liṅga as the accessible form for reverence, mantra-japa, and pūjā—through which the devotee approaches the transcendent (Nirguṇa) Śiva via a sanctified, worshipable symbol.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is tīrtha-yātrā with liṅga-darśana: perform pañcākṣarī japa (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) while moving from shrine to shrine, offering water and bilva leaves, and maintaining inner remembrance (smaraṇa) of Śiva at every step.