Shloka 20

शिवलिङ्गमाहात्म्यवर्णनम्

Narration of the Greatness of the Śiva-liṅga

Devanagari script

भीमेश्वर इति प्रोक्तः सूर्येश्वर इति स्मृतः

Transliteration

bhīmeśvara iti proktaḥ sūryeśvara iti smṛtaḥ

Translation

He is proclaimed as Bhīmeśvara, and is also remembered as Sūryeśvara.

Word by Word

• भीमेश्वरः: Bhīmeśvara
• भीमेश्वरः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीम-ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (भीमस्य ईश्वरः)

• इति: thus/‘as’
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/नामनिर्देशवाचक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• प्रोक्तः: is called
• प्रोक्तः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-वच् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्तः (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘is called/said’

• सूर्येश्वरः: Sūryeśvara
• सूर्येश्वरः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूर्य-ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (सूर्यस्य ईश्वरः)

• इति: thus/‘as’
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/नामनिर्देशवाचक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• स्मृतः: is known/remembered
• स्मृतः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्तः (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘is remembered/known as’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Bhīmaśaṃkara

Sthala Purana: The epithet Bhīmeśvara naturally aligns with the Bhīmaśaṃkara Jyotirliṅga tradition: Śiva manifests to protect devotees and destroy oppressive forces (often narrated as the slaying of the asura Bhīma and restoration of dharma). The verse itself is brief, naming Bhīmeśvara and Sūryeśvara as remembered forms.

Significance: Protection, removal of fear, and pāpa-kṣaya; in Siddhānta terms, Rudra’s saṃhāra of adharma supports the soul’s movement from bondage toward grace.

Ritual Elements

Offering: dipa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Bhimeshvara
• Suryeshvara

FAQs

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

The verse preserves the sacred nāma (name) tradition of a Jyotirlinga, teaching that Shiva is approached through revered epithets that reveal His accessible (saguṇa) presence for devotion while pointing to His supreme lordship (Pati) beyond fear and limitation.

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

By identifying Shiva with specific linga-names (Bhīmeśvara/Sūryeśvara), the text frames Jyotirlinga worship as saguṇa-upāsanā—devotion to Shiva’s manifest form—through which grace, purification, and liberation are sought.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Chant the Shiva-nāmas (e.g., “Om Bhīmeśvarāya Namaḥ” / “Om Sūryeśvarāya Namaḥ”) with linga-darśana and simple abhiṣeka; if following Shaiva practice, support it with Panchākṣarī japa (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) remembrance.