Shloka 50

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

Devanagari script

अतः परं प्रवक्ष्यामि वैद्यनाथेश्वरस्य हि । ज्योतिर्लिंगस्य माहात्म्यं श्रूयतां पापहारकम्

Transliteration

ataḥ paraṃ pravakṣyāmi vaidyanātheśvarasya hi | jyotirliṃgasya māhātmyaṃ śrūyatāṃ pāpahārakam

Translation

Therefore, hereafter I shall expound the glory of Vaidyanātheśvara—the Jyotirliṅga. Listen, for it is the remover of sins.

Word by Word

• अतः: thereafter/therefore
• अतः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतः (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतौ/अनन्तरार्थे अव्यय (therefore/thereafter)

• परम्: further/next
• परम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाववत् क्रियाविशेषण (further/next)

• प्रवक्ष्यामि: I shall declare
• प्रवक्ष्यामि: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (simple future), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; उपसर्ग: प्र-

• वैद्यनाथेश्वरस्य: of Vaidyanātheśvara
• वैद्यनाथेश्वरस्य: Sambandha/Genitive (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैद्यनाथ-ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; समास: तत्पुरुष (वैद्यनाथस्य ईश्वरः)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/कारणबोधक-अव्यय (indeed/for)

• ज्योतिर्लिङ्गस्य: of the Jyotirliṅga
• ज्योतिर्लिङ्गस्य: Sambandha/Genitive (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्योतिस्-लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; समास: तत्पुरुष (ज्योतिः एव लिङ्गम्)

• माहात्म्यम्: greatness, glory
• माहात्म्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माहात्म्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• श्रूयताम्: let it be heard
• श्रूयताम्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (imperative), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive): ‘let it be heard’

• पापहारकम्: sin-destroying
• पापहारकम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाप-हारक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् माहात्म्यम् प्रति; समास: तत्पुरुष (पापं हरति इति)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse frames “śravaṇa” (devout listening) to the Jyotirliṅga’s māhātmya as a purifying act: by turning the mind toward Pati (Śiva) with faith, karmic impurity (pāpa) is attenuated and the seeker is oriented toward grace and liberation.

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

By announcing the glory of a specific Jyotirliṅga (Vaidyanātha), it emphasizes Saguna worship—Śiva approached through a sacred, luminous liṅga-form—while implying the deeper truth that the liṅga signifies the transcendent Lord beyond form.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A direct takeaway is “śravaṇa” (listening/recitation) of the Jyotirliṅga māhātmya with devotion; it may be paired with simple liṅga-pūjā and japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” for inner purification.