Shloka 25

महाकालज्योतिर्लिङ्गमाहात्म्ये चन्द्रसेन-चिन्तामणि-प्रसङ्गः

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

Devanagari script

एतस्मिन्समये पुत्रं शिवासक्तसुचेतसम् । प्रणयाद्गोपिका सा तं भोजनाय समाह्वयत्

Transliteration

etasminsamaye putraṃ śivāsaktasucetasam | praṇayādgopikā sā taṃ bhojanāya samāhvayat

Translation

At that very time, the cowherd woman, moved by tender love, called her son—whose mind was deeply devoted to Śiva—to come and partake of his meal.

Word by Word

• etasmin: in this
• etasmin: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: etad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन); demonstrative pronoun used adjectivally

• samaye: time/occasion
• samaye: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: samaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• putram: son
• putram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: putra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• śiva-āsakta-sucetasam: whose mind was well-disposed and attached to Śiva
• śiva-āsakta-sucetasam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक) + āsakta (कृदन्त; √sañj/√as?; past passive participle sense 'attached') + su-cetas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); compound adjective qualifying putram; components: śive āsaktaḥ (locative-tatpuruṣa) + su-cetasam (karmadhāraya within)

• praṇayāt: out of affection
• praṇayāt: Hetu/Apādāna (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: praṇaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• gopikā: the cowherd woman (gopī)
• gopikā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gopikā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• sā: she
• sā: Karta (कर्ता) (apposition to gopikā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); pronoun

• tam: him
• tam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); pronoun

• bhojanāya: for eating/for a meal
• bhojanāya: Sampradāna/Prayojana (सम्प्रदान/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhojana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular (एकवचन); purpose dative

• samāhvayat: called/invited
• samāhvayat: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-ā-√hve (धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ/लङ्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• gopika (cowherd woman)
• son (putra)

FAQs

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

It highlights that true Śiva-bhakti is measured by an inner, steady mind (sucetas) devoted to Śiva, even amid ordinary household life—showing that devotion and purity of intent are central to approaching Pati (Śiva).

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

The verse presents Saguna devotion—personal love and attentiveness toward Śiva—as an inward orientation that naturally supports external worship such as Linga-pūjā; the devotee’s mind being ‘Śiva-attached’ is the core of the practice.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to maintain Shiva-smaraṇa (remembrance) during daily acts like eating—optionally preceded by a brief mental japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya.”