Shloka 2

नैमिषारण्ये सूतागमनम् — लिङ्गमाहात्म्यभूमिका तथा शब्दब्रह्म-ओङ्कार-लिङ्गतत्त्वम्

Devanagari script

नारदो ऽभ्यर्च्य शैलेशे शङ्करं सङ्गमेश्वरे हिरण्यगर्भे स्वर्लीने ह्य् अविमुक्ते महालये

Transliteration

nārado 'bhyarcya śaileśe śaṅkaraṃ saṅgameśvare hiraṇyagarbhe svarlīne hy avimukte mahālaye

Translation

Having duly worshipped Śaṅkara—the Lord of the mountain (Śaileśa), the Lord of the confluence (Saṅgameśvara), Hiraṇyagarbha, the One absorbed in the heavenly realm, and the Great Abode called Avimukta—Nārada continued his sacred observances.

Word by Word

• नारदः: Nārada

• अभ्यर्च्य: having worshipped with due reverence

• शैलेशे: in/at Śaileśa, the Lord of the mountain (a Śiva-abode)

• शङ्करम्: Śaṅkara, the auspicious Lord (Pati)

• सङ्गमेश्वरे: at Saṅgameśvara, the Lord of the sacred confluence

• हिरण्यगर्भे: as/at Hiraṇyagarbha (golden-womb, cosmic source-form revered here as Śiva)

• स्वर्लीने: absorbed/established in Svarga (the heavenly plane)

• हि: indeed

• अविमुक्ते: in Avimukta, the never-abandoned kṣetra (Kāśī)

• महालये: in the Great Abode, the supreme sanctuary/seat of Śiva

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Shiva
• Shankara
• Sangameshvara
• Hiranyagarbha
• Avimukta (Kashi)

FAQs

What is the importance of this verse in the context of Linga worship?

It frames Linga/Śiva-worship as kṣetra-centered abhyarcana—Nārada honors Śiva through multiple sacred manifestations and abodes, showing that devotion to the Pati across tīrthas purifies the worshipper and deepens Linga-bhakti.

How does this verse describe the nature of Shiva (Shiva-tattva)?

Śiva-tattva is presented as one Lord appearing through many names and seats—mountain, confluence, cosmic source (Hiraṇyagarbha), heavenly absorption, and Avimukta—indicating the single Pati who pervades all lokas while remaining the supreme refuge.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The practice is abhyarcana (formal worship) supported by tīrtha/kshetra-sevana; as a Shaiva discipline it functions like a preparatory limb for Pāśupata orientation—loosening pāśa (bondage) in the pashu through repeated Śiva-smaraṇa and sacred-site devotion.