Shloka 4

अवंतीस्थ-ब्राह्मणकथा तथा तृतीय-ज्योतिर्लिङ्गोपाख्यान-प्रस्तावना

Avanti Brahmin Narrative and Prelude to the Third Jyotirliṅga

Devanagari script

अतो मत्वा स्वभाग्यं हि कथयिष्यामि पावनीम् । पापप्रणाशिनीं दिव्यां कथां च शृणुतादरात्

Transliteration

ato matvā svabhāgyaṃ hi kathayiṣyāmi pāvanīm | pāpapraṇāśinīṃ divyāṃ kathāṃ ca śṛṇutādarāt

Translation

Therefore, deeming this your own good fortune, I shall narrate this purifying account—divine and destructive of sins. Listen to this sacred story with reverent attention.

Word by Word

• अतः: therefore
• अतः: Hetu (हेतु/Reason)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतः (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतुवाचक/निगमनार्थक अव्यय (concluding/therefore)

• मत्वा: having considered
• मत्वा: Pūrvakāla (पूर्वकाल/Prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मन् (धातु) + त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive)

• स्वभाग्यम्: my/one's own good fortune
• स्वभाग्यम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + भाग्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (determinative: 'one's own' + 'fortune'), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Avadhāraṇa (अवधारण/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; emphasis)

• कथयिष्यामि: I shall narrate
• कथयिष्यामि: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथ् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन

• पावनीम्: purifying
• पावनीम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पावनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कथाम् (अध्याहृत/अग्रे) इति विशेषण

• पापप्रणाशिनीम्: destroying sins
• पापप्रणाशिनीम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रणाशिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (determinative: 'of sins' + 'destroyer'), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कथाम् इति विशेषण

• दिव्याम्: divine
• दिव्याम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दिव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कथाम् इति विशेषण

• कथाम्: story
• कथाम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कथा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• शृणुत: listen
• शृणुत: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), बहुवचन

• आदरात्: with respect/attentively
• आदरात्: Hetu (हेतु/Motive)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आदर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पञ्चमी-एकवचनरूपेण क्रियाविशेषण (ablative used adverbially: 'out of respect')

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Sūta announces the forthcoming ‘pāvanī’ and ‘pāpapraṇāśinī’ kathā—typical of Jyotirliṅga māhātmyas where mere hearing is credited with purification and merit.

Significance: Positions kathā-śravaṇa as a purificatory upāya: it weakens pāśa (bondage) by turning the mind toward pati and preparing for Śiva’s anugraha.

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It proclaims śravaṇa (reverent listening) to a Shiva-centered divine narrative as a purifier of the mind and a destroyer of pāpa, preparing the seeker for devotion and grace-oriented liberation (Pati’s anugraha).

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

By urging attentive hearing of a divine kathā, it sets the devotional foundation for Saguna Shiva worship—where the Linga and Jyotirlinga narratives become means to awaken bhakti, purity, and Shiva’s compassionate presence.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice kathā-śravaṇa with ādarā (reverence): listen daily or on Mahāśivarātri/Jyotirlinga pilgrimages, ideally preceded by simple purity observances (bhasma/Tripuṇḍra, japa of “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) to steady attention.