Shloka 7

ज्योतिर्लिङ्ग-तदुपलिङ्ग-माहात्म्यवर्णनम्

Narration of the Greatness of the Jyotirliṅga and Associated Liṅgas

Devanagari script

तानि तानि च दिव्यानि लिंगानि परमेशितुः । व्यासशिष्य समाचक्ष्व लोकानां हितकाम्यया

Transliteration

tāni tāni ca divyāni liṃgāni parameśituḥ | vyāsaśiṣya samācakṣva lokānāṃ hitakāmyayā

Translation

O disciple of Vyāsa, for the welfare of the worlds, please describe to us—one by one—those divine Liṅgas of the Supreme Lord, Parameśvara.

Word by Word

• तानि: those
• तानि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc); बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• तानि: those (again/emphatic)
• तानि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया; बहुवचन; पुनरुक्ति (emphatic repetition)

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

• दिव्यानि: divine
• दिव्यानि: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: divya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया; बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying liṃgāni)

• लिङ्गानि: liṅgas/emblems
• लिङ्गानि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: liṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया; बहुवचन

• परमेशितुः: of the Supreme Lord
• परमेशितुः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parameśitṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (Genitive); एकवचन

• व्यासशिष्य: O disciple of Vyāsa
• व्यासशिष्य: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vyāsa + śiṣya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन (Vocative); एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'disciple of Vyāsa'

• समाचक्ष्व: tell/describe
• समाचक्ष्व: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √cakṣ (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative); आत्मनेपद; मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person); एकवचन; उपसर्ग: सम् + आ

• लोकानाम्: of the worlds/of people
• लोकानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (Genitive); बहुवचन

• हितकाम्यया: with the desire for welfare
• हितकाम्यया: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hita + kāmya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया (Instrumental); एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'desire for welfare' → 'with the wish for (their) welfare'

Speaker

The sages at Naimiṣāraṇya (addressing Sūta Gosvāmin, the disciple of Vyāsa)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: The sages request a systematic narration of Parameśvara’s divine Liṅgas for loka-hita; this functions as the narrative gateway to later enumerations (including famed sthalas such as Jyotirliṅgas) rather than identifying a single site here.

Significance: Śravaṇa (hearing) and smaraṇa (recollection) of Liṅga-sthalas is framed as loka-hita—spiritually beneficial for all, preparing the listener for tīrtha-oriented devotion.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Vyasa

FAQs

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

This verse frames the narration of Śiva’s divine Liṅgas as a loka-hita (world-benefiting) teaching—inviting devotees to know, remember, and worship the Lord’s manifest symbols through which grace and liberation are approached.

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

By requesting the account of the “divine Liṅgas,” the sages affirm Saguna upāsanā: the formless Supreme (Nirguṇa) is compassionately approached through the Liṅga as an accessible, sanctified form for devotion, pilgrimage, and ritual worship.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The practical takeaway is śravaṇa (hearing) and smaraṇa (remembrance) of the Liṅga-māhātmya, which traditionally supports Liṅga-pūjā with mantra-japa (especially the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and Mahāśivarātri-style devotion.