Shloka 16

महाकालज्योतिर्लिङ्गमाहात्म्ये चन्द्रसेन-चिन्तामणि-प्रसङ्गः

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

Devanagari script

निर्विकल्पो निराहारस्स नृपो दृढनिश्चयः । समानर्च महाकालं दिवा नक्तमनन्यधीः

Transliteration

nirvikalpo nirāhārassa nṛpo dṛḍhaniścayaḥ | samānarca mahākālaṃ divā naktamananyadhīḥ

Translation

That king, free from wavering, fasting and firm in resolve, worshipped Mahākāla with unwavering devotion—by day and by night—his mind fixed on none other.

Word by Word

• निर्विकल्पः: free from doubt/alternatives
• निर्विकल्पः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण of ‘नृपः’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्विकल्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• निराहारः: fasting/without food
• निराहारः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण of ‘नृपः’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निराहार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा, एकवचनम्

• नृपः: the king
• नृपः: Karta (कर्ता; apposition to ‘सः’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा, एकवचनम्

• दृढ-निश्चयः: firm in resolve
• दृढ-निश्चयः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण of ‘नृपः’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दृढ (प्रातिपदिक) + निश्चय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारयः: ‘दृढः निश्चयः यस्य’; पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• सम्-आनर्च: worshipped
• सम्-आनर्च: Kriyā (क्रिया/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आन्-अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; (पाठभेदे ‘समार्च’/‘समार्चत्’ सम्भवः)

• महाकालम्: Mahākāla
• महाकालम्: Karma (कर्म/Object of worship)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाकाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया, एकवचनम्

• दिवा: by day
• दिवा: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दिवा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• नक्तम्: by night
• नक्तम्: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नक्तम् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• अनन्य-धीः: with undivided mind
• अनन्य-धीः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण of ‘नृपः’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनन्य (प्रातिपदिक) + धी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारयः: ‘अनन्या धीः यस्य’; पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम्

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahākāla

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Mahākāleśvara

Sthala Purana: Candrasena performs unwavering worship—fasting, day and night—of Mahākāla. The intensity of bhakti and ekāgratā becomes the immediate cause (nimitta) for Śiva’s protective response in the kṣetra of Ujjayinī.

Significance: Teaches niṣṭhā (one-pointed devotion) and vrata-like discipline; inspires continuous remembrance (divā-naktam) at Mahākāla for protection and inner steadiness.

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: नमः शिवाय

Type: panchakshara

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Mahakala

FAQs

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

It praises ananya-bhakti—exclusive, one-pointed devotion to Shiva—supported by vairagya (fasting/self-restraint) and dṛḍha-niścaya (firm resolve), which purifies the mind and leads toward Shiva’s grace and liberation.

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

Mahākāla is Saguna Shiva—Shiva approached through a sacred form and name. The verse emphasizes continuous worship (day and night), the hallmark of Linga-upasana where the devotee fixes the mind on Shiva as the supreme refuge.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Fasting (upavāsa/nirāhāra) paired with uninterrupted remembrance and worship—japa and dhyāna with one-pointed attention—especially suitable for Mahāśivarātri-style observance and sustained Shiva-smarana.