Shloka 21

नन्दिकेश्वरशिवलिङ्गमाहात्म्यवर्णनम्

The Māhātmya of the Nandikeśvara Śiva-liṅga

Devanagari script

त्वया मे रक्षितो धर्मो मूढनाम्नोऽसुरादिह । यदयं निहतो दुष्टो जगद्रक्षा कृता त्वया

Transliteration

tvayā me rakṣito dharmo mūḍhanāmno'surādiha | yadayaṃ nihato duṣṭo jagadrakṣā kṛtā tvayā

Translation

By You my dharma has been protected here from the asura named Mūḍha. Since this wicked one has been slain, the safeguarding of the world has been accomplished by You.

Word by Word

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• मे: my
• मे: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular) — enclitic form

• रक्षितः: protected
• रक्षितः: कर्मणि-प्रयोगे विधेय (Predicate in passive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: रक्ष् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• धर्मः: dharma, righteousness
• धर्मः: कर्म (Karman/Object; passive subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• मूढनाम्नः: of (the one) named Mūḍha
• मूढनाम्नः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मूढ-नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष समास (genitive tatpuruṣa): मूढस्य नाम (whose name is ‘Mūḍha’); पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• असुरात्: from the demon
• असुरात्: अपादान (Apādāna/Ablative source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन (Singular)

• इह: here
• इह: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative sense)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable), देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• यत्: since/that
• यत्: सम्बन्ध (Discourse connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समुच्चय/हेतु-निर्देशक अव्यय (indeclinable relative/causal particle) — ‘since/that’

• अयम्: this (one)
• अयम्: कर्म (Karman/Object; passive subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• निहतः: slain
• निहतः: कर्मणि-प्रयोगे विधेय (Predicate in passive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु) + नि- (उपसर्ग) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• दुष्टः: wicked
• दुष्टः: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular) — विशेषण (adjective)

• जगत्-रक्षा: protection of the world
• जगत्-रक्षा: कर्म (Karman/Object; passive subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक) + रक्षा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष समास (genitive tatpuruṣa): जगतः रक्षा (protection of the world); स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• कृता: done, accomplished
• कृता: कर्मणि-प्रयोगे विधेय (Predicate in passive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

A grateful deity/guardian figure addressing Lord Shiva (inferred from Kotirudrasaṃhitā protection narrative)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Rudra

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: destructive

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Asura Mūḍha
• Dharma
• Jagat (the world)

FAQs

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

The verse presents Shiva as Pati—the supreme Lord who safeguards dharma and restores cosmic order by removing adharma. For the devotee, it affirms that surrender to Shiva brings protection of one’s righteous path and inner stability.

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

It highlights Saguna Shiva’s compassionate, active grace: He protects the world and devotees through divine intervention. Linga worship remembers this same Lord as the ever-present protector—both immanent (in the Linga) and transcendent.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Offer daily Linga-pūjā with Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and japa of the Pañcākṣarī—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—seeking protection of dharma and purification of harmful tendencies (āsurī bhāva) within.