Shloka 14

महाकालज्योतिर्लिङ्गमाहात्म्ये चन्द्रसेन-चिन्तामणि-प्रसङ्गः

Mahākāla Jyotirliṅga Māhātmya: The Episode of King Candrasena and the Cintāmaṇi

Devanagari script

ते तु सर्वे समेता वै कृतसंकेतसंविदः । उज्जयिन्याश्चतुर्द्वारं रुरुधुर्बहुसैनिकाः

Transliteration

te tu sarve sametā vai kṛtasaṃketasaṃvidaḥ | ujjayinyāścaturdvāraṃ rurudhurbahusainikāḥ

Translation

Then they all assembled together, their plan already fixed by mutual agreement; with many soldiers they blocked the four gates of Ujjayinī.

Word by Word

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचनम् (Plural)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थक

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier of ‘ते’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• समेताः: assembled
• समेताः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण of ‘ते’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-इ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्तः (past passive participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्; ‘assembled’

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• कृत-संकेत-संविदः: having made an agreed signal/plan
• कृत-संकेत-संविदः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण of ‘ते’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत (कृ धातु, क्त) + संकेत (प्रातिपदिक) + संविद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (genitive determinative): ‘कृतः संकेतः’ इति; पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• उज्जयिन्याः: of Ujjayinī
• उज्जयिन्याः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation to ‘द्वारम्’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उज्जयिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचनम्

• चतुर्-द्वारम्: the four-gated (city/fort) / the four gates
• चतुर्-द्वारम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + द्वार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समासः (numerical compound) ‘चत्वारि द्वाराणि यस्य तत्’; नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचनम्

• रुरुधुः: they besieged/blocked
• रुरुधुः: Kriyā (क्रिया/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: रुध् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), बहुवचनम्

• बहु-सैनिकाः: many soldiers
• बहु-सैनिकाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; apposition to ‘ते’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक) + सैनिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारयः: ‘बहवः सैनिकाः’; पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Mahākāleśvara

Sthala Purana: The siege tightens: allied kings coordinate and blockade Ujjayinī’s four gates, intensifying the devotee’s helplessness so that recourse to Mahākāla becomes inevitable.

Significance: Highlights the ‘pāśa’ of fear and constraint (bandhana) that drives surrender; pilgrims recall that Mahākāla breaks worldly encirclement and grants inner freedom.

Characters & Entities

• Ujjayinī
• Mahākāla (implied by setting)

FAQs

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

The verse depicts worldly forces using strategy and power to control access, implicitly contrasting external control with the Shaiva view that true refuge lies in Pati (Shiva) rather than in worldly fortresses—reminding devotees that the sacred (Jyotirlinga) ultimately transcends human obstruction.

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

Because the setting is Ujjayinī—home of Mahākāla Jyotirlinga—the verse frames the narrative environment around a Saguna focus of worship (the Linga). Even when outer circumstances become hostile, devotion to the Linga remains the stable means of approaching Shiva’s grace.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is steadfast japa of the Panchākṣarī mantra ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya") and mental refuge in Mahākāla while facing obstacles; devotees traditionally pair this with Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa as supports for steadiness and protection.