Shloka 16

शिवलिङ्गमाहात्म्यवर्णनम्

Narration of the Greatness of the Śiva-liṅga

Devanagari script

नागेशाख्यः प्रसिद्धो हि साकेतनगरे द्विजा । सूर्य्यवंशोद्भवानां च विशेषेण सुखप्रदः

Transliteration

nāgeśākhyaḥ prasiddho hi sāketanagare dvijā | sūryyavaṃśodbhavānāṃ ca viśeṣeṇa sukhapradaḥ

Translation

O twice-born sages, in the city of Sāketa the Lord is renowned as Nāgeśa. He bestows happiness—most especially upon those born in the Solar dynasty—by granting auspicious well-being through devotion to Śiva in the form of the Jyotirliṅga.

Word by Word

• नागेश-आख्यः: named Nāgeśa
• नागेश-आख्यः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नागेश (प्रातिपदिक) + आख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (नाम-विशेषण)

• प्रसिद्धः: well-known
• प्रसिद्धः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject-complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रसिद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात/पदार्थ-प्रकाशक (particle: indeed/for)

• साकेत-नगरे: in the city of Sāketa
• साकेत-नगरे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साकेत (प्रातिपदिक) + नगर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (साकेतस्य नगरम्)

• द्विजाः: O brāhmaṇas (twice-born)
• द्विजाः: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Vocative address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; संबोधनार्थे प्रयोगः (vocative-sense though nominative form)

• सूर्य्य-वंश-उद्भवानाम्: of those born in the Solar dynasty
• सूर्य्य-वंश-उद्भवानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूर्य (प्रातिपदिक) + वंश (प्रातिपदिक) + उद्भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (सूर्यवंशात् उद्भवाः)

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

• विशेषेण: especially
• विशेषेण: Prakaraṇa (प्रकरण/Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-एकवचनरूपेण अव्ययीभावः/क्रियाविशेषण-प्रयोगः (instrumental used adverbially: especially)

• सुख-प्रदः: giver of happiness
• सुख-प्रदः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject-complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुख (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (सुखं प्रददाति इति)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Nāgeśvara

Sthala Purana: This verse locates a Nāgeśa renowned in Sāketa; however, the pan-Indian Jyotirliṅga Nāgeśvara is classically associated with the Dvārikā region (and in some traditions with other sites). The Śiva Purāṇa here appears to describe a kṣetra-liṅga named Nāgeśa rather than unambiguously the Jyotirliṅga.

Significance: Promised sukha (well-being/happiness), with special auspiciousness for Sūryavaṃśa lineages—suggesting dynastic dharma and royal welfare under Śiva’s grace.

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: dipa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva (Nāgeśa Jyotirlinga)
• Sāketa
• Sūryavaṃśa (Solar dynasty)

FAQs

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

It proclaims Śiva’s Jyotirliṅga presence as Nāgeśa at Sāketa, emphasizing that devotion and darśana of this Saguna manifestation of Pati (Śiva) yields sukha—auspicious inner and outer well-being—supportive of the soul’s upliftment.

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

By naming Śiva as “Nāgeśa” in a specific sacred place, the verse points to localized Jyotirliṅga worship—approaching the transcendent Nirguṇa Śiva through the accessible Saguna Liṅga form for grace and blessings.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is Jyotirliṅga darśana with Śiva-bhakti—performing simple liṅga-pūjā (water/flower offering) and japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” seeking sukha and Śiva’s anugraha.