Shloka 7

उत्तरदिग्देशस्थ-शिवलीङ्गमाहात्म्य

Māhātmya of Northern-Region Śiva-liṅgas

Devanagari script

स्नानं कृत्वा तु गोकर्णे चन्द्रभालं समर्च्य च । शिवलोकमवाप्नोति सत्यंसत्यं न संशयः

Transliteration

snānaṃ kṛtvā tu gokarṇe candrabhālaṃ samarcya ca | śivalokamavāpnoti satyaṃsatyaṃ na saṃśayaḥ

Translation

Having bathed at Gokarṇa and duly worshipped Chandrabhāla, Śiva the moon-crested Lord, one attains Śiva’s realm—truth, truth indeed; there is no doubt.

Word by Word

• स्नानम्: bath
• स्नानम्: कर्म (Karma/Object of doing)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• कृत्वा: having performed
• कृत्वा: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive), ‘having done’

• तु: indeed/then
• तु: सम्बन्ध (discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; contrast/emphasis)

• गोकर्णे: at Gokarṇa
• गोकर्णे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोकर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; स्थाननाम

• चन्द्रभालम्: Candrabhāla (Śiva/linga)
• चन्द्रभालम्: कर्म (Karma/Object of worship)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चन्द्रभाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (चन्द्रः भालं यस्य/चन्द्र-भालः), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• समर्च्य: having worshipped
• समर्च्य: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्√अर्च् (धातु) + य (ल्यप्/क्त्वा-समकक्ष)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), ‘having worshipped’

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• शिवलोकम्: Śiva’s world
• शिवलोकम्: कर्म (Karma/Object of attaining)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव-लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (शिवस्य लोकः), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• अवाप्नोति: attains
• अवाप्नोति: क्रिया (Verb/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव√आप् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• सत्यम्: truly
• सत्यम्: क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाववत् निपात-प्रयोग (indeclinable usage: ‘truly’)

• सत्यम्: truly
• सत्यम्: क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुनरुक्ति-निपात (repetition for emphasis)

• न: not, no
• न: निषेध (negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• संशयः: doubt
• संशयः: विधेय (predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that tīrtha-snana (sacred bathing) joined with sincere worship of Śiva at a Jyotirlinga site like Gokarṇa becomes a direct means to divine grace, culminating in attainment of Śivaloka—symbolizing nearness to Pati (Śiva) and release from binding impurities through devotion.

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

Chandrabhāla denotes Saguna Śiva—Śiva with auspicious attributes (moon-crested). The verse emphasizes concrete acts of Linga-centered pilgrimage worship (snana + arcana) as an accessible path for devotees to connect with the Jyotirlinga presence and receive Śiva’s salvific blessing.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform a holy bath at Gokarṇa, then offer arcana to Śiva (preferably with water, bilva leaves, and mantra such as the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), cultivating steady bhakti and remembrance of the moon-crested Lord.