Shloka 25

महाबलमाहात्म्यवर्णनम् (Mahābala Māhātmya-varṇanam) — “Account of the Greatness of Mahābala (and Western Sacred Liṅgas)”

Devanagari script

माघासितचतुर्दश्यां महाबलसमर्चनम् । विमुक्तिदं विशेषेण सर्वेषां पापिनामपि

Transliteration

māghāsitacaturdaśyāṃ mahābalasamarcanam | vimuktidaṃ viśeṣeṇa sarveṣāṃ pāpināmapi

Translation

On the fourteenth day of the dark fortnight in the month of Māgha, the worship of Mahābala is especially liberation-giving—even for all who are burdened with sins.

Word by Word

• माघ: of Māgha (month)
• माघ: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माघ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; ‘माघस्य’ (समासे पूर्वपद)

• असित: dark (kr̥ṣṇa)
• असित: विशेषण (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: असित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे ‘चतुर्दशी’ इत्यस्य विशेषणत्वेन; समासे पूर्वपद

• चतुर्दश्याम्: on the fourteenth lunar day
• चतुर्दश्याम्: अधिकरण (काल-अधिकरणम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर्दशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; ‘on the fourteenth (tithi)’

• महाबल: Mahābala
• महाबल: सम्बन्ध (समास-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाबल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; समासे पूर्वपद (नाम)

• समर्चनम्: complete worship
• समर्चनम्: कर्ता/कर्म (सन्दर्भानुसार—विधेय/उद्देश्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सम्-अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (ल्युट्-प्रत्ययान्त भाववाचक-नाम); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• विमुक्तिदम्: granting liberation
• विमुक्तिदम्: विशेषण (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + मुक्ति + द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—विमुक्तिं ददाति इति (उपपद-तत्पुरुषः)

• विशेषेण: especially
• विशेषेण: क्रियाविशेषण (अव्ययीभावार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषण-प्रयोगः (instrumental used adverbially)

• सर्वेषाम्: of all
• सर्वेषाम्: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुं, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन

• पापिनाम्: of sinners
• पापिनाम्: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पापिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: सम्बन्ध/निपात (अव्यय-प्रयोग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle) समुच्चय/अपवादार्थक

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: A specific vrata-kāla is prescribed: worship of Mahābala on Māgha kṛṣṇa-caturdaśī is said to grant vimukti especially—even to sinners—highlighting Śiva’s grace overriding bondage when approached at an auspicious liminal time.

Significance: Establishes an annual/seasonal pilgrimage peak: Māgha dark-14th worship is portrayed as exceptionally potent for pāpa-kṣaya and mokṣa-oriented merit.

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that sacred timing (Māgha kṛṣṇa-caturdaśī) intensifies the fruit of Śiva-bhakti: worship of Mahābala becomes a direct cause for vimukti (liberation), overriding even heavy sinful burdens through Śiva’s grace.

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

“Mahābala” points to Saguna Śiva approached through concrete worship (arcana). In Shaiva Siddhanta terms, devotion to the manifested Lord (often as the Śiva-liṅga) becomes the means by which Pati (Śiva) releases the paśu (bound soul) from pāśa (bondage).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform Śiva-arcana on Māgha kṛṣṇa-caturdaśī (Mahāśivarātri-like observance): keep vrata/fasting as able, offer water/bilva to the liṅga, and repeat the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” with a prayer for purification and mokṣa.