Shloka 7

महाकालज्योतिर्लिङ्गमाहात्म्ये चन्द्रसेन-चिन्तामणि-प्रसङ्गः

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

Devanagari script

तस्य कांतितलस्पृष्टं कांस्यं ताम्रमयं त्रपु । पाषाणादिकमन्यद्वा द्रुतं भवति हाटकम्

Transliteration

tasya kāṃtitalaspṛṣṭaṃ kāṃsyaṃ tāmramayaṃ trapu | pāṣāṇādikamanyadvā drutaṃ bhavati hāṭakam

Translation

Whatever is touched by the surface of its radiant splendor—whether bronze, copper, tin, or even stone and the like—swiftly becomes gold.

Word by Word

• तस्य: of it/of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्ध

• कान्तितलस्पृष्टम्: touched by its lustrous surface
• कान्तितलस्पृष्टम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कान्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + तल (प्रातिपदिक) + स्पृष्ट (कृदन्त; √स्पृश् धातु, क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (‘कान्ति-तलेन स्पृष्टम्’/‘कान्तितलं स्पृष्टम्’) — विशेषण (of कांस्यं/ताम्रमयं/त्रपु/पाषाणादिकम्)

• कांस्यम्: bell-metal/bronze
• कांस्यम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कांस्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ताम्रमयम्: made of copper
• ताम्रमयम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ताम्र (प्रातिपदिक) + मयट् (तद्धित-प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तद्धितान्त विशेषण (made of copper)

• त्रपु: tin
• त्रपु: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रपु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पाषाणादिकम्: stone and the like
• पाषाणादिकम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाषाण (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक) + क (प्रातिपदिक-प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (‘पाषाण-आदि’ = stone etc.)

• अन्यत्: other
• अन्यत्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier of पाषाणादिकम्)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (or)

• द्रुतम्: quickly
• द्रुतम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: द्रुत (कृदन्त; √द्रु/√द्रव् धातु, क्त)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb; ‘quickly’)

• भवति: becomes
• भवति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present/लट्), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• हाटकम्: gold
• हाटकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हाटक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; परिणाम (predicate nominative)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Mahākāleśvara

Sthala Purana: The gem’s alchemical power (turning base metals/stone into gold) heightens the theme of transformation; in the Mahākāla-Ujjain narrative arc, such transformation foreshadows the higher transmutation of the bound soul (paśu) through Śiva’s grace in the kṣetra.

Significance: Symbolizes the kṣetra’s capacity to convert ‘base’ conditions into auspiciousness; pilgrims seek inner purification and removal of pāśa (bondage) through Mahākāla’s anugraha.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that Shiva’s divine radiance purifies and elevates all that comes into contact with Him—an image of inner transformation where the impure or inert nature is refined into spiritual “gold,” i.e., awakened purity and fitness for liberation.

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

In Jyotirlinga worship, Shiva is approached as Saguna through the Linga—yet His essence is luminous Consciousness. The verse praises the Linga’s sanctifying power: contact with Shiva’s manifested presence turns the devotee’s limited condition toward divine qualities.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform Linga-darśana and abhiṣeka with steady bhakti while repeating the Panchākṣarī mantra (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), contemplating that Shiva’s light purifies the mind as quickly as base matter is said to become gold.