Shloka 22

गोत्र-प्रवर-प्रश्नः तथा तिथ्यादि-कीर्तनं

Gotra–Pravara Inquiry and Proclamation of Auspicious Time

Devanagari script

लिंगाकृतेर्महेशस्य केन दृष्टं न मस्तकम् । विष्णुर्गत्वा हि पातालं तदेनं नापविस्मितः

Transliteration

liṃgākṛtermaheśasya kena dṛṣṭaṃ na mastakam | viṣṇurgatvā hi pātālaṃ tadenaṃ nāpavismitaḥ

Translation

Who indeed has ever beheld the head—the upper limit—of Mahādeva when He appeared as the Liṅga? Even Viṣṇu, descending to Pātāla in search, could not fathom that Reality nor discover its end.

Word by Word

• लिङ्गाकृतेः: of the liṅga-form
• लिङ्गाकृतेः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + आकृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; समासः: लिङ्गस्य आकृतिः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• महेशस्य: of Maheśa
• महेशस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• केन: by whom
• केन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन (interrogative)

• दृष्टम्: seen
• दृष्टम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; धातुः: दृश्; कर्मणि ‘seen’

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपात

• मस्तकम्: the top/head (summit)
• मस्तकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मस्तक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• विष्णुः: Viṣṇu
• विष्णुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• गत्वा: having gone
• गत्वा: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; धातुः: गम्; अर्थः ‘having gone’

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थ/निश्चयार्थक-निपात (indeed/for)

• पातालम्: to the netherworld
• पातालम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाताल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (pronoun)

• एनम्: this one (it/him)
• एनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद्/एन् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (enam = ‘him/it’, anaphoric pronoun)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपात

• अपविस्मितः: was not astonished
• अपविस्मितः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अप + विस्मि (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past participial adjective), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; उपसर्गः अप; अर्थः ‘not astonished/undismayed’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Liṅgodbhava

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Vishnu
• Maheshvara

FAQs

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

It declares Shiva as the limitless Pati (Supreme Lord) whose true extent cannot be measured by any being; liberation arises through humility, devotion, and recognition of His infinite nature rather than egoic conquest of knowledge.

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

The Liṅga here signifies Shiva’s accessible Saguna symbol that points to His Nirguna infinitude—worship of the Liṅga trains the mind to revere the Form while contemplating the Formless, endless Reality it represents.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Liṅga-pūjā with japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and meditation on the endless “pillar of consciousness/light,” cultivating surrender and awe rather than argumentative seeking.