Shloka 38

चाण्डालीसद्गतिवर्णनम् (Cāṇḍālī-sadgati-varṇanam) — “Account of the Cāṇḍālī’s Attainment of a Good Destiny”

Devanagari script

एवं वः कथितं विप्रा माहात्म्यं परमं मया । महाबलाभिधानस्य शिवलिंगवरस्य हि

Transliteration

evaṃ vaḥ kathitaṃ viprā māhātmyaṃ paramaṃ mayā | mahābalābhidhānasya śivaliṃgavarasya hi

Translation

Thus, O Brāhmaṇa sages, I have told you the supreme glory of that excellent Śiva-liṅga known as Mahābala.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (thus/in this manner)

• वः: to you; for you
• वः: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (6th/4th), बहुवचन; एन्क्लिटिक रूप (your/to you)

• कथितम्: has been told
• कथितम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kath (धातु) + क्त (past passive participle)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मणि/भावे ‘कथितम्’ (has been told)

• विप्राः: O brāhmaṇas
• विप्राः: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (vocative/प्रथमा), बहुवचन

• माहात्म्यम्: the greatness; glory
• माहात्म्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māhātmya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• परमम्: supreme
• परमम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: त्रिलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन

• महा-बल-अभिधानस्य: of (the one) named Mahābala
• महा-बल-अभिधानस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध; षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + bala (प्रातिपदिक) + abhidhāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (नामनिर्देश: ‘महाबलम् इति अभिधानम्’); पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग-सम्भव, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (of that which is called Mahābala)

• शिव-लिङ्ग-वरस्य: of the excellent Śiva-liṅga
• शिव-लिङ्ग-वरस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध; षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक) + liṅga (प्रातिपदिक) + vara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (निर्देश: ‘शिवस्य लिङ्गम्’ + ‘वर’); पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/वाक्य-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चय/हेतु/उपपत्ति-सूचक (particle: indeed/for)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Sūta formally concludes the exposition of the ‘Mahābala’ Śiva-liṅga’s māhātmya, marking it as a paradigmatic sacred center where Śiva’s grace is accessible through narrative, hearing, and worship.

Significance: The ‘māhātmya’ genre itself is treated as a salvific instrument: hearing/remembering the liṅga’s greatness supports bhakti and prepares eligibility for liṅga-arcana and grace.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Mahabala Shiva Linga

FAQs

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

The verse serves as a formal conclusion: the narrator declares that the highest sacred greatness (māhātmya) of the Mahābala Śiva-liṅga has been fully conveyed, affirming that devotion to Śiva in the Liṅga-form is a direct, grace-filled means for spiritual upliftment.

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

By praising an ‘excellent Śiva-liṅga’ by name, the text highlights Saguna upāsanā—approaching the transcendent (Nirguṇa) Śiva through a consecrated, worshipable form (Liṅga), where reverence, offerings, and remembrance become vehicles for receiving Śiva’s anugraha (grace).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

While no specific rite is commanded in this line, it implies Liṅga-upāsanā: worship with mantra—especially the Pañcākṣarī ‘Om Namaḥ Śivāya’—along with simple offerings (water, bilva leaves) and steady remembrance of Śiva’s presence in the Liṅga.