Shloka 2

उत्तरदिग्देशस्थ-शिवलीङ्गमाहात्म्य

Māhātmya of Northern-Region Śiva-liṅgas

Devanagari script

उत्तरस्यां दिशायां च शिवलिंगानि यानि च । तेषां माहात्म्यमनघ वद त्वं पापनाशकम्

Transliteration

uttarasyāṃ diśāyāṃ ca śivaliṃgāni yāni ca | teṣāṃ māhātmyamanagha vada tvaṃ pāpanāśakam

Translation

“O sinless one, please tell me the sanctifying glory of those Śiva-liṅgas in the northern direction—a glory that destroys sins.”

Word by Word

• उत्तरस्याम्: in the northern
• उत्तरस्याम्: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; used adjectivally with 'diś'

• दिशायाम्: direction
• दिशायाम्: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• शिवलिंगानि: Śiva-liṅgas
• शिवलिंगानि: Karma (कर्म/Object of 'vada'—topic to be told)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'Śiva’s liṅgas'

• यानि: which
• यानि: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यद् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; relative pronoun qualifying 'śivaliṅgāni'

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• तेषाम्: of those
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: Neuter/Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural

• माहात्म्यम्: greatness, glory
• माहात्म्यम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माहात्म्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• अनघ: O sinless one
• अनघ: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Vocative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनघ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular; address to listener

• वद: tell/speak
• वद: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (singular)

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: Second person pronoun; Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• पापनाशकम्: sin-destroying
• पापनाशकम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक) + नाशक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; adjective agreeing with 'māhātmyam'; तत्पुरुष: 'sin-destroying'

Speaker

A sage (listener) addressing Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: The listener requests the māhātmya (saving power) of northern Śiva-liṅgas—typical Purāṇic framing where hearing/remembering sacred sites itself becomes a means of pāpa-kṣaya.

Significance: Śravaṇa (reverent hearing) of liṅga-māhātmya is presented as pāpa-nāśaka; in Śaiva Siddhānta this functions as preparatory purification (mala-kṣaya) that readies the paśu for Śiva’s anugraha.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Shiva Linga

FAQs

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

The verse frames the Śiva-liṅga as a locus of Pati (Śiva) whose māhātmya purifies the paśu (bound soul) by eroding pāpa and turning the mind toward devotion and liberation.

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

It explicitly requests the māhātmya of specific Śiva-liṅgas, affirming Saguna worship: Śiva is approached through the liṅga as a compassionate, accessible form that grants purification and grace.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is śravaṇa (listening) to liṅga-māhātmya, followed by liṅga-pūjā with mantra-japa (especially the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and tīrtha-yātrā with a repentance-and-purification intent.