Shloka 9

ज्योतिर्लिङ्ग-तदुपलिङ्ग-माहात्म्यवर्णनम्

Narration of the Greatness of the Jyotirliṅga and Associated Liṅgas

Devanagari script

सर्वेषां शिवलिंगानां मुने संख्या न विद्यते । सर्वं लिंगमयी भूमिः सर्वलिंगमयं जगत्

Transliteration

sarveṣāṃ śivaliṃgānāṃ mune saṃkhyā na vidyate | sarvaṃ liṃgamayī bhūmiḥ sarvaliṃgamayaṃ jagat

Translation

O sage, the number of Śiva-liṅgas is beyond knowing. The whole earth is pervaded by the Liṅga, and the entire universe is filled with the Liṅga—revealing that the Lord’s sacred emblem is present everywhere as the support and sign of Śiva.

Word by Word

• सर्वेषाम्: of all
• सर्वेषाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (Genitive); बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying śivaliṃgānām)

• शिवलिङ्गानाम्: of Śiva-liṅgas
• शिवलिङ्गानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva + liṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी; बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'Śiva-liṅgas'

• मुने: O sage
• मुने: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन; एकवचन

• संख्या: number/count
• संख्या: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃkhyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• विद्यते: exists/is found
• विद्यते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vid (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present); आत्मनेपद; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; भावे प्रयोग (impersonal/exists)

• सर्वम्: all (everything)
• सर्वम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन; विशेषण (predicative)

• लिङ्गमयी: consisting of liṅgas
• लिङ्गमयी: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: liṅga + mayī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन; तद्धितान्त (-मय) 'consisting of'; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष sense: 'made of liṅga'

• भूमिः: the earth
• भूमिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhūmi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन

• सर्वलिङ्गमयम्: made of all liṅgas
• सर्वलिङ्गमयम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva + liṅga + maya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष: 'made of all liṅgas'

• जगत्: the world/universe
• जगत्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jagat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Liṅgodbhava

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: The verse universalizes the Liṅga: innumerable Śiva-liṅgas exist; earth and cosmos are ‘liṅga-maya’. This is a doctrinal preface to selecting a limited set of celebrated liṅgas (later tradition highlights Jyotirliṅgas as paradigmatic).

Significance: Transforms pilgrimage from mere geography to ontology: any place can become a tīrtha when recognized as Śiva’s pervasive sign; supports both kṣetra-yātrā and inner recognition.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that Śiva’s presence is not confined to one shrine: the Liṅga symbolizes the all-pervading Pati (Lord) who supports the cosmos, guiding the devotee to see the world as Śiva-filled and thus move toward liberation.

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

The Liṅga is a sacred, accessible Saguna focus for devotion and worship, while also pointing beyond form to Śiva’s limitless, all-pervading reality—hence countless Liṅgas and a universe described as Liṅga-maya.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice Liṅga-bhakti through daily abhiṣeka (water/milk), japa of the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” and meditation on Śiva’s presence in all places, treating every space as a sanctified field of worship.