Shloka 34

महाकालज्योतिर्लिङ्गमाहात्म्ये चन्द्रसेन-चिन्तामणि-प्रसङ्गः

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

Devanagari script

संतप्तहेमकलशैर्विचित्रैर्बहुभिर्युतम् । प्रोद्भासितमणिस्तंभैर्बद्धस्फटिकभूतलैः

Transliteration

saṃtaptahemakalaśairvicitrairbahubhiryutam | prodbhāsitamaṇistaṃbhairbaddhasphaṭikabhūtalaiḥ

Translation

It was adorned with many wondrous urns of refined gold, and it shone with radiant jeweled pillars, its ground inlaid and set with crystal slabs.

Word by Word

• संतप्त-हेम-कलशैः: with heated golden pots
• संतप्त-हेम-कलशैः: करण (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संतप्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √तप्) + हेम (प्रातिपदिक) + कलश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (‘heated golden pots’), तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन (Plural), पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine)

• विचित्रैः: variegated/wondrous
• विचित्रैः: विशेषण (Adjectival to Instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विचित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन (Plural), पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine); विशेषण to कलशैः

• बहुभिः: many
• बहुभिः: विशेषण (Adjectival to Instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन (Plural), पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine); विशेषण to कलशैः

• युतम्: endowed/connected
• युतम्: विशेषण (Predicate adjective to implied object)
• Type: Verb
• Root: युज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (Past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); ‘endowed/connected with’ (agreeing with implied noun)

• प्रोद्भासित-मणि-स्तंभैः: with brilliantly shining jewel-pillars
• प्रोद्भासित-मणि-स्तंभैः: करण (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रोद्भासित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; प्र-उद्-√भास्) + मणि (प्रातिपदिक) + स्तंभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (मणिस्तंभैः; jewel-pillars) with participial qualifier (प्रोद्भासित), तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन (Plural), पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine)

• बद्ध-स्फटिक-भूतलैः: with crystal-laid floors
• बद्ध-स्फटिक-भूतलैः: करण (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बद्ध (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √बन्ध्) + स्फटिक (प्रातिपदिक) + भूतल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (‘floors set with crystal’), तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन (Plural), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages at Naimisharanya, describing the sacred Shaiva site connected with Kotirudrasaṃhitā themes of holy places and Jyotirlinga glory)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahākāla

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse portrays the sanctity and luminous purity of Shiva’s holy domain: gold, jewels, and crystal symbolize a mind made sattvic and transparent through bhakti, where the devotee becomes fit for Shiva-darśana and grace (anugraha).

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

Such descriptions frame the Saguna presence of Shiva in a consecrated space—an outer splendor that supports inner reverence. In Shaiva Siddhanta terms, the temple’s ordered beauty mirrors disciplined worship directed toward the Linga, through which Pati (Shiva) bestows purification upon the paśu (soul).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is temple-centered upāsanā: approach Shiva’s shrine with cleanliness and steadiness, offer water and fragrant substances to the Linga, and repeat the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” while contemplating inner clarity like crystal (sphaṭika).