Shloka 45

Ghuśmeśa-jyotirliṅga-māhātmya

The Greatness of the Ghuśmeśa Jyotirlinga

Devanagari script

विधानपूर्वकं घुष्मा सोपचारसमन्वितम् । कृत्वा तान्प्राक्षिपत्तत्र तडागे निकटस्थिते

Transliteration

vidhānapūrvakaṃ ghuṣmā sopacārasamanvitam | kṛtvā tānprākṣipattatra taḍāge nikaṭasthite

Translation

Ghuṣmā, having duly performed the prescribed rites with the proper offerings and attendant services, then cast those objects into the nearby pond.

Word by Word

• vidhāna-pūrvakam: according to prescribed procedure
• vidhāna-pūrvakam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/qualifier of (karma) understood act/thing)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vidhāna (विधान-प्रातिपदिक) + pūrvaka (पूर्वक-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: विधानं पूर्वं यस्य = ‘preceded by due rite/according to rule’

• ghuṣmā: Ghuṣmā
• ghuṣmā: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ghuṣmā (घुष्मा-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; व्यक्तिनाम (proper name)

• sa-upacāra-samanvitam: accompanied by due offerings/attendances
• sa-upacāra-samanvitam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/qualifier of (karma) understood act/thing)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa (स-प्रातिपदिक) + upacāra (उपचार-प्रातिपदिक) + samanvita (समन्वित-प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष: उपचारैः सह समन्वितम् = ‘accompanied with offerings/attendances’

• kṛtvā: having performed
• kṛtvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/preceding action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (कृ धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘having done’

• tān: those (them)
• tān: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• prākṣipat: threw/cast
• prākṣipat: Kriyā (क्रिया/finite verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra√kṣip (प्र+क्षिप् धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/locative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb/there)

• taḍāge: in the pond
• taḍāge: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: taḍāga (तडाग-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• nikaṭa-sthite: situated nearby
• nikaṭa-sthite: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/qualifier of taḍāge)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nikaṭa (निकट-प्रातिपदिक) + sthita (स्थित-प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: निकटे स्थिते = ‘situated nearby’; विशेषण (of taḍāge)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Ghṛṣṇeśvara

Sthala Purana: Ghuṣmā’s daily worship of numerous earthen liṅgas culminates in their immersion in a nearby tank; through her unwavering bhakti, Śiva manifests to restore dharma and sanctifies the site, later revered as Ghṛṣṇeśvara (Ghuṣmeśvara) Jyotirliṅga.

Significance: Bestows auspiciousness and protection; exemplifies that steadfast devotion and ritual correctness (vidhi + upacāra) draw Śiva’s anugraha even for householders.

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: oṃ namaḥ śivāya

Type: panchakshara

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Ritual Elements

Offering: dipa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Ghushma

FAQs

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

It highlights that Shaiva bhakti is strengthened when devotion is joined with vidhi (disciplined, scriptural practice): sincere worship with proper upacāras purifies intention and prepares the devotee for Shiva’s grace.

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

The verse emphasizes worship performed with upacāras—typical of Saguna Shiva devotion—where the Lord is approached through tangible rites and offerings, cultivating steadiness of mind and reverence toward the Linga-centered path.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It suggests performing Shiva worship according to prescribed procedure (vidhāna) with upacāras, and then ritually disposing/immersing the worship-related items in a pure water source—an act aligned with maintaining sanctity and completion of the rite.