Shloka 20

उमास्वयंवरः / भवोद्वाहः, गणसमागमः, अविमुक्तक्षेत्रमाहात्म्यम्, तथा विनायक-उत्पत्तिसूचना

Devanagari script

आग्निकः शतकोट्या वै कोट्याग्निमुख एव च आदित्यमूर्धा कोट्या च तथा चैव धनावहः

Transliteration

āgnikaḥ śatakoṭyā vai koṭyāgnimukha eva ca ādityamūrdhā koṭyā ca tathā caiva dhanāvahaḥ

Translation

He is Āgnika—the Lord present as the very Fire; He is the One with countless mouths as blazing flames; He is the One whose head is the Sun itself; and He is Dhanāvaha, the bearer and bestower of prosperity. Thus the Pati is praised as the inner ruler of all luminous powers, the source of both sacrificial radiance and worldly abundance.

Word by Word

• आग्निकः (āgnikaḥ): the Fiery One, Lord as Agni

• शत-कोट्या (śata-koṭyā): by hundreds of crores, countless

• वै (vai): indeed

• कोट्य-अग्नि-मुखः (koṭy-agni-mukhaḥ): having crores of fire-mouths, innumerable blazing faces

• एव (eva): alone/indeed

• च (ca): and

• आदित्य-मूर्धा (āditya-mūrdhā): whose head is the Sun, sun-crowned

• कोट्या (koṭyā): by crores, innumerably

• तथा (tathā): likewise

• चैव (caiva): and indeed

• धन-आवहः (dhana-āvahaḥ): bringer/bearer of wealth and auspicious increase

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating a Shiva-name enumeration to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Agni
• Surya (Aditya)

FAQs

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

It frames the Linga as the all-pervading Jyoti (luminous reality): the same Shiva who receives offerings through Agni is also the solar crown of the cosmos, making Linga-puja a worship of the indwelling divine light in all rites.

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

Shiva is presented as Pati—the supreme principle manifesting as cosmic energies (fire and sun) while remaining their inner ruler, the source of illumination, order, and auspicious prosperity for the pashu (bound soul).

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Ritually, it points to Vedic homa and Linga-archana where Agni is treated as Shiva’s mouth; yogically, it supports Pashupata contemplation on Shiva as the inner light (antar-jyotis) that burns impurities (pāśa) and grants auspiciousness.