Shloka 9

अलकापतेः तपः-लिङ्गप्रतिष्ठा च वरप्राप्तिः / The Lord of Alakā: Austerity, Liṅga-Establishment, and the Receiving of a Boon

Devanagari script

ततस्सह विशालाक्ष्या देवो विश्वेश्वररस्वयम् । अलकापतिमालोक्य प्रसन्नेनांतरात्मना

Transliteration

tatassaha viśālākṣyā devo viśveśvararasvayam | alakāpatimālokya prasannenāṃtarātmanā

Translation

Then the Lord Himself—Viśveśvara (Shiva), the Sovereign of the universe—together with the large‑eyed goddess, looked upon the lord of Alaka; and in His inmost being He became gracious and pleased.

Word by Word

• ततः: then; thereafter
• ततः: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), तस्मात्-अर्थे (thereupon/then)

• सह: together with
• सह: Sahakāraka (सहकारक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: saha (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, सहार्थक-उपपद (with; governs instrumental)

• विशालाक्ष्या: with the large-eyed (goddess/woman)
• विशालाक्ष्या: Sahakāraka (सहकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विशालाक्षी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः बहुव्रीहिः (viśāle akṣiṇī yasyāḥ = 'she who has large eyes'); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (instrumental/3rd), एकवचन; सह इत्यस्य योगे

• देवः: the god
• देवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• विश्वेश्वरः: the Lord of the universe
• विश्वेश्वरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः तत्पुरुषः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'lord of the universe'); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; देवः इति पदस्य विशेषण/अप्पोजिशन्

• स्वयम्: himself
• स्वयम्: Karta-prayojaka (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: svayam (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, आत्मार्थक (emphatic: oneself)

• अलकापतिम्: the lord of Alakā (Kubera)
• अलकापतिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अलका (प्रातिपदिक) + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः तत्पुरुषः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'lord of Alakā'); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• आलोक्य: having seen
• आलोक्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + लोक् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive), 'having seen'

• प्रसन्नेन: with a serene/pleased
• प्रसन्नेन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रसन्न (कृदन्त; √सद्/सद् with प्र)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle used adjectivally), पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक? यहाँ पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; अन्तरात्मना इति विशेषणम्

• अन्तरात्मना: inner self; heart
• अन्तरात्मना: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तरात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; करणभावे (by/with inner self)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Viśvanātha

Sthala Purana: The epithet Viśveśvara/Viśvanātha evokes Kāśī’s Lord: Śiva as sovereign of the universe who grants liberation; in Kāśī-sthala traditions, His grace is famed as bestowing tāraka-upadeśa at death and making the kṣetra a mokṣa-dāyaka field.

Significance: Darśana of Viśvanātha is held to confer purification and mokṣa-oriented merit; the verse’s ‘prasanna antarātmanā’ aligns with the kṣetra’s emphasis on Śiva’s immediate grace.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: dipa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati
• Kubera

FAQs

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

The verse highlights Shiva as Viśveśvara whose decisive action is guided by inner compassion (prasanna antaratman). In Shaiva Siddhanta terms, it points to Śiva’s anugraha (grace) arising when the soul approaches the Lord in a receptive, devotion-filled way.

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

It presents Shiva in a personal (saguṇa) mode—seeing, responding, and becoming pleased—mirroring how devotees worship the Shiva-linga: not as mere symbol, but as the accessible presence of Viśveśvara who bestows grace when approached with sincerity.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is to cultivate inner purity and devotion while doing Shiva-upasana—e.g., japa of the Panchakshara “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” with a calm, inward heart—seeking prasāda (grace) rather than only worldly gain.