Shloka 49

Gaṅgā-Avataraṇa and the Naming of Gaṅgādvāra (गङ्गावतरणम्—गङ्गाद्वारप्रसिद्धिः)

Devanagari script

त्र्यंबकस्य च माहात्म्यं ज्योतिर्लिंगस्य कीर्तितम् । यच्छ्रुत्वा सर्वपापेभ्यो मुच्यते नात्र संशयः

Transliteration

tryaṃbakasya ca māhātmyaṃ jyotirliṃgasya kīrtitam | yacchrutvā sarvapāpebhyo mucyate nātra saṃśayaḥ

Translation

Thus has been proclaimed the sacred greatness of Tryambaka—the Jyotirliṅga. Whoever hears it is freed from all sins; of this there is no doubt.

Word by Word

• त्र्यंबकस्य: of Tryambaka (Śiva)
• त्र्यंबकस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tryambaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (masc), षष्ठी (6th/genitive), एकवचन (sg)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• माहात्म्यम्: greatness
• माहात्म्यम्: Karma (कर्म/object/topic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māhātmya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neut), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन (sg)

• ज्योतिर्लिंगस्य: of the Jyotirliṅga
• ज्योतिर्लिंगस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jyotis+liṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष (jyotiḥ eva liṅgam / jyotiṣo liṅgam), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neut), षष्ठी (6th/genitive), एकवचन (sg)

• कीर्तितम्: has been proclaimed
• कीर्तितम्: Karma (कर्म; predicate participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kīrt (धातु) + kta (कृत्)
• Form: कृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neut), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन (sg); माहात्म्यम् इत्यनेन सह सामनाधिकरण्य/विधेय

• यत्: which
• यत्: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (relative pronoun), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neut), द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन (sg); श्रुत्वा इत्यस्य कर्म

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण/absolutive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śru (धातु) + त्वा (कृत्)
• Form: अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/क्त्वा), पूर्वकाल (having heard)

• सर्वपापेभ्यः: from all sins
• सर्वपापेभ्यः: Apadana (अपादान/from)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva+pāpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: कर्मधारय (sarvāṇi pāpāni), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neut), पञ्चमी (5th/ablative), बहुवचन (pl)

• मुच्यते: is freed
• मुच्यते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √muc (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन (sg), कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध (negation particle)

• अत्र: here/in this matter
• अत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/locative sense)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, देशवाचक (adverb of place)

• संशयः: doubt
• संशयः: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃśaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (masc), प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन (sg)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Tryambakeśvara

Sthala Purana: Tryambaka (the three-eyed Lord) is praised as a Jyotirliṅga; the māhātmya’s hearing itself is declared salvific—freeing the listener from sins—typical of Jyotirliṅga-kathā where Śiva manifests as self-revealed light and grants purification and grace.

Significance: Śravaṇa of the māhātmya and darśana of the Jyotirliṅga are said to remove sins; in Siddhānta terms, this indicates Śiva’s anugraha loosening pāśa (karma/māyā) and turning the paśu toward liberation.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Tryambaka
• Jyotirlinga

FAQs

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

It teaches that śravaṇa (devotional listening) to the Tryambaka Jyotirliṅga-māhātmya purifies karmic impurities and removes pāpa, supporting the Shaiva path of grace (anugraha) leading toward liberation.

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

The Jyotirliṅga is Saguna Shiva’s accessible, consecrated manifestation through which devotees approach the transcendent (Nirguna) Lord; hearing its glory strengthens bhakti and faith in liṅga-upāsanā.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Regular śravaṇa or pāraayaṇa of Jyotirliṅga-māhātmya (especially on Mondays and Mahāśivarātri) along with liṅga-abhisheka while repeating the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya.”