Shloka 14

नन्दिकेश्वरशिवलिङ्गमाहात्म्यवर्णनम्

The Māhātmya of the Nandikeśvara Śiva-liṅga

Devanagari script

विह्वलातीव सा नारी शिवनामप्रभाषिणी । जगाम शरणं शम्भोः स्वधर्मावनहेतवे

Transliteration

vihvalātīva sā nārī śivanāmaprabhāṣiṇī | jagāma śaraṇaṃ śambhoḥ svadharmāvanahetave

Translation

That woman, overwhelmed and distressed, kept uttering Lord Śiva’s Name; and for the sake of preserving her own dharma, she went to take refuge in Śambhu (Śiva).

Word by Word

• विह्वला: distressed, agitated
• विह्वला: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विह्वल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• अतीव: exceedingly
• अतीव: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतीव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (intensifier adverb)

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• नारी: woman
• नारी: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• शिव-नाम-प्रभाषिणी: uttering the name of Śiva
• शिव-नाम-प्रभाषिणी: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + नामन् (प्रातिपदिक) + प्र-भाष् (धातु) → प्रभाषिणी (कृदन्त, णिनि)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कृदन्तः: प्रभाषिणी (one who utters); समासः: शिवनाम (Śiva’s name) + प्रभाषिणी

• जगाम: went
• जगाम: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• शरणम्: refuge
• शरणम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; गत्यर्थे कर्मवत् (goal as object)

• शम्भोः: of Śambhu (Śiva)
• शम्भोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम्भु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• स्व-धर्म-अवन-हेतवे: for the purpose of protecting her own duty/dharma
• स्व-धर्म-अवन-हेतवे: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Dative purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + अवन (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक; अव् धातु ‘to protect’) + हेतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; समासः: स्वधर्मस्य अवनस्य हेतवे (for the purpose of protecting one’s own dharma)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: General jyotirliṅga-bhāva: śaraṇāgati to Śambhu is held to protect dharma and remove āpad (calamity).

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: śiva-nāma (implicit repetition)

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It highlights śaraṇāgati (surrender) to Shiva through nāma-japa: in crisis, the devotee protects dharma by taking refuge in Pati (Shiva), the compassionate protector who removes fear and grants right guidance.

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

Calling Shiva by Name and seeking Shambhu’s refuge reflects Saguna-bhakti—approaching Shiva as the personal Lord and protector; in the Kotirudrasaṃhitā setting, such surrender naturally aligns with pilgrimage and worship of Shiva in Linga form (Jyotirlinga devotion).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Nama-japa—especially the Panchakshara mantra and Shiva’s Name—combined with inner surrender; as a practical takeaway, one may perform focused repetition of “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” while mentally taking refuge in Shiva for dharma-protection.