Shloka 13

शिवलिङ्गमाहात्म्यवर्णनम्

Narration of the Greatness of the Śiva-liṅga

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मेश्वरः प्रयोगे च ब्रह्मणा स्थापितः पुरा । दशाश्वमेधतीर्थे हि चतुर्वर्गफलप्रदः

Transliteration

brahmeśvaraḥ prayoge ca brahmaṇā sthāpitaḥ purā | daśāśvamedhatīrthe hi caturvargaphalapradaḥ

Translation

In Prayāga, Brahmā long ago established the Liṅga known as Brahmeśvara. Indeed, at the sacred ford called Daśāśvamedha-tīrtha, it bestows the fruits of the four aims of life—dharma, artha, kāma, and mokṣa.

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मेश्वरः: Brahmeśvara (Lord of Brahmā / Brahmā’s Lord)
• ब्रह्मेश्वरः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (ब्रह्मणः ईश्वरः)

• प्रयोगे: in (the place called) Prayoga
• प्रयोगे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रयोग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• ब्रह्मणा: by Brahmā
• ब्रह्मणा: Karana (करण/Instrument-Agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• स्थापितः: was established
• स्थापितः: Kriya (क्रिया; passive predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्यय (Past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• पुरा: formerly
• पुरा: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण/Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (temporal adverb)

• दश-अश्वमेध-तीर्थे: at the Daśāśvamedha tīrtha
• दश-अश्वमेध-तीर्थे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + अश्वमेध (प्रातिपदिक) + तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (अश्वमेधानां दशानां तीर्थम् / दशाश्वमेधं तीर्थम्)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चय/हेतुबोधक निपात (particle: indeed/for)

• चतुर्-वर्ग-फल-प्रदः: giver of the fruits of the four aims of life
• चतुर्-वर्ग-फल-प्रदः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; epithet)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + फल (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (चतुर्वर्गस्य फलस्य प्रदः)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: At Prayāga, Brahmā installs a Śiva-liṅga named Brahmeśvara at the Daśāśvamedha-tīrtha; worship there yields the four puruṣārthas.

Significance: Snāna and liṅga-darśana at this tīrtha are said to confer dharma, artha, kāma, and mokṣa—framing Śiva as the giver of both worldly and liberating ends.

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Brahma
• Brahmeshvara
• Prayaga
• Daśāśvamedha Tīrtha

FAQs

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

It declares that worship at Brahmeśvara in Prayāga is not merely merit-giving but puruṣārtha-fulfilling—culminating in mokṣa—showing Śiva as the supreme bestower of both worldly welfare and liberation.

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

Brahmeśvara is Śiva approached as a consecrated Liṅga (saguṇa upāsanā). Through devotion, worship, and pilgrimage at the tīrtha, the devotee receives grace that matures from dharma and prosperity toward liberation.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform tīrtha-snān (sacred bathing) at Daśāśvamedha, then worship the Liṅga with pañcākṣarī-japa ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya"), bilva offerings, and vibhūti (tripuṇḍra), dedicating the fruits toward mokṣa.