Shloka 8

ब्राह्मणीमरणवर्णनम् (Account of the Brahmin Woman’s Death) — within Nandikeśvara-māhātmya

Devanagari script

तीक्ष्णेशनामा तत्रासीद्दर्शनात्पापहारकः । धुंधुरेश्वरनामासीत्पापहा नर्मदातटे

Transliteration

tīkṣṇeśanāmā tatrāsīddarśanātpāpahārakaḥ | dhuṃdhureśvaranāmāsītpāpahā narmadātaṭe

Translation

There, a Liṅga named Tīkṣṇeśa was present; by its very sight it removes sin. On the bank of the Narmadā there was also a Liṅga named Dhuṃdhureśvara, likewise a destroyer of sins.

Word by Word

• तीक्ष्ण-ईश्वर-नाम: (he) whose name was Tīkṣṇeśvara
• तीक्ष्ण-ईश्वर-नाम: Karta (कर्ता/सम्बन्धि-नामपद)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीक्ष्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक) + नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (genitive determinative): ‘तीक्ष्णस्य ईश्वरः’ इति, तस्य नाम

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/स्थान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; स्थानवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb)

• आसीत्: was
• आसीत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/लङ्), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• दर्शनात्: from (his) sight/darśana
• दर्शनात्: Apadana (अपादान/कारण-हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दर्शन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी-अपादान), एकवचन

• पाप-हारकः: remover of sin
• पाप-हारकः: Karta (कर्ता/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक) + हारक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: ‘पापस्य हारकः’

• धुंधुर-ईश्वर-नाम: (he) whose name was Dhuṃdhureśvara
• धुंधुर-ईश्वर-नाम: Karta (कर्ता/सम्बन्धि-नामपद)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धुंधुर (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक) + नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: ‘धुंधुरस्य ईश्वरः’ इति, तस्य नाम

• आसीत्: was
• आसीत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/लङ्), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• पाप-हा: sin-destroyer
• पाप-हा: Karta (कर्ता/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक) + हन् (धातु) → ह (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः; ‘पापं हन्ति’ इति (agent noun from √हन्)

• नर्मदा-तटे: on the bank of the Narmadā
• नर्मदा-तटे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/स्थान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर्मदा (प्रातिपदिक) + तट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी-अधिकरण), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: ‘नर्मदायाः तटः’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Rudra

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: The verse highlights two liṅgas: Tīkṣṇeśa (‘the sharp/keen Lord’) whose mere darśana removes sin, and Dhuṃdhureśvara situated on the Narmadā bank, likewise pāpa-hara. The Narmadā reference anchors the kṣetra in a recognized tīrtha-corridor where river-contact and liṅga-darśana jointly amplify purification.

Significance: Darśana-māhātmya: sin-removal by sight; tīrtha-māhātmya: Narmadā-snāna and Śiva-darśana as a combined purifier, especially for prāyaścitta-oriented pilgrimage.

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Tīkṣṇeśa
• Dhuṃdhureśvara
• Narmadā

FAQs

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

The verse teaches the tirtha-mahima of Shiva’s Lingas: mere darśana (reverent sight) of Saguna Shiva as the Linga at sacred places like the Narmadā is said to burn accumulated pāpa and turn the mind toward purification and liberation.

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

It presents the Linga as a compassionate, accessible form of Saguna Shiva whose presence sanctifies a place; by approaching, seeing, and honoring the Linga, devotees receive grace (anugraha) and inner cleansing, central to Shaiva Siddhanta devotion.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform Linga-darśana with bhakti at the Narmadā tirtha, offer water (especially Narmadā-jala), repeat the Panchakshara mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” and conclude with silent remembrance of Shiva as the remover of pāpa.