Shloka 38

Yatinātha-līlā: Śiva’s Test of the Bhilla Devotees at Arbuda Mountain

Devanagari script

इदं चरितं परमं पवित्रं शिवावतारस्य पवित्रकीर्तेः । यतीशसंज्ञस्य महाद्भुतं हि हंसाह्वयस्यापि विमुक्तिदं हि

Transliteration

idaṃ caritaṃ paramaṃ pavitraṃ śivāvatārasya pavitrakīrteḥ | yatīśasaṃjñasya mahādbhutaṃ hi haṃsāhvayasyāpi vimuktidaṃ hi

Translation

Diese Erzählung ist höchst heilig und überaus reinigend: sie handelt von der Inkarnation Śivas, dessen Ruhm selbst heilig ist. Es ist der wunderbare Bericht über Den, der Yatīśa heißt und auch Haṃsa genannt wird; wahrlich, er verleiht Befreiung (mokṣa).

Word by Word

• idam: this
• idam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• caritam: deed/episode
• caritam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: carita (प्रातिपदिक; √car (धातु) से निष्पन्न)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), एकवचन

• paramam: supreme
• paramam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), एकवचन; विशेषण (caritam)

• pavitram: pure/holy
• pavitram: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pavitra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), एकवचन; विशेषण (caritam)

• śiva-avatārasya: of Śiva’s incarnation
• śiva-avatārasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक) + avatāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (śivasya avatāraḥ)

• pavitra-kīrteḥ: of (him) whose fame is pure
• pavitra-kīrteḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pavitra (प्रातिपदिक) + kīrti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (pavitrā kīrtiḥ)

• yatīśa-saṃjñasya: of (him) named ‘Yatīśa’
• yatīśa-saṃjñasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yatīśa (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃjñā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (yatīśa iti saṃjñā yasya)

• mahā-adbhutam: very wonderful
• mahā-adbhutam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + adbhuta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (mahac ca adbhutam ca)

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात/particle (indeed)

• haṃsa-āhvayasya: of (him) called ‘Haṃsa’
• haṃsa-āhvayasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: haṃsa (प्रातिपदिक) + āhvaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (haṃsa iti āhvayaḥ yasya)

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात/particle (also/even)

• vimukti-dam: granting liberation
• vimukti-dam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vimukti (प्रातिपदिक) + da (प्रातिपदिक; √dā (धातु) से)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), एकवचन; विशेषण (caritam); तत्पुरुष (vimuktiṃ dadāti iti)

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात/particle (indeed)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a jyotirliṅga-sthala account; rather a phalaśruti-like declaration that the Haṃsa/Yatīśa avatāra-kathā purifies and grants vimukti.

Significance: Kathā-śravaṇa/pāṭha is itself treated as tīrtha-like: purifying fame of Śiva and liberation-bestowing remembrance.

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: idaṃ caritaṃ paramaṃ pavitraṃ śivāvatārasya pavitrakīrteḥ | yatīśasaṃjñasya mahādbhutaṃ hi haṃsāhvayasyāpi vimuktidaṃ hi

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Ritual Elements

Offering: dipa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Yatisha
• Hamsa

FAQs

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

It declares that hearing and remembering Shiva’s avatāra-carita (sacred deeds) is itself a purifier and a direct aid to vimukti (liberation), because Shiva as Pati removes pāśa (bondage) when approached through devotion and sacred listening.

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

The verse praises Shiva’s saguna manifestation as Yatīśa/Haṃsa, teaching that devotion to Shiva’s manifest forms and narratives complements Linga-worship—both anchor the mind in Shiva’s grace and lead the seeker toward freedom from bondage.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Śravaṇa and smaraṇa—listening to and contemplating Shiva’s sacred stories—are implied as a practice; reciting this chapter with bhakti (especially on Mahāśivarātri) can be paired with japa of “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” for a moksha-oriented sādhana.