Shloka 21

Viśvānara-Gṛhapati Upākhyāna — Śivasya Agni-gṛhe Avatāraḥ

The Account of Viśvānara Gṛhapati and Śiva’s Descent into the House of Fire

Devanagari script

दृष्ट्वा सर्वाणि लिंगानि विश्वेशप्रमुखानि च । स्नात्वा सर्वेषु कुण्डेषु वापीकूपसरस्सु च

Transliteration

dṛṣṭvā sarvāṇi liṃgāni viśveśapramukhāni ca | snātvā sarveṣu kuṇḍeṣu vāpīkūpasarassu ca

Translation

Having beheld all the sacred Liṅgas—beginning with Viśveśa—and having bathed in every holy tank, stepwell, well, and lake, the devotee is ritually purified and becomes fit for Śiva’s grace-filled worship.

Word by Word

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभावः; धातु: दृश्; ‘having seen’

• सर्वाणि: all
• सर्वाणि: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Nom/Acc Pl); विशेषण

• लिङ्गानि: liṅgas (Śiva-emblems)
• लिङ्गानि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Acc Pl)

• विश्वेश-प्रमुखानि: having Viśveśa as foremost
• विश्वेश-प्रमुखानि: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विश्वेश (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रमुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (विश्वेशः प्रमुखः येषां तानि/विश्वेशप्रमुखानि); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन (Nom/Acc Pl); विशेषण (लिङ्गानि)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• स्नात्वा: having bathed
• स्नात्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभावः; धातु: स्ना; ‘having bathed’

• सर्वेषु: in all
• सर्वेषु: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Loc Pl); विशेषण

• कुण्डेषु: in ponds/pits (kuṇḍas)
• कुण्डेषु: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Loc Pl)

• वापी-कूप-सरस्सु: in tanks, wells, and lakes
• वापी-कूप-सरस्सु: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वापी (प्रातिपदिक) + कूप (प्रातिपदिक) + सरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: इतरेतरद्वन्द्वसमास (वाप्यः च कूपाः च सरांसि च); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Loc Pl)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Viśvanātha

Sthala Purana: Kāśī is depicted as a liṅga-saturated kṣetra: beginning with Viśveśa, the pilgrim performs liṅga-darśana and tīrtha-snāna across kuṇḍas and water-sources, establishing ritual purity and receptivity to Śiva’s grace.

Significance: Comprehensive kṣetra-sevā (darśana + snāna) is portrayed as a purifier that prepares the paśu for Śiva-upāsanā and accelerates pāśa-kṣaya.

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Vishvesha

FAQs

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

It presents a Shaiva path of purification through darśana (beholding Śiva’s Liṅgas) and tīrtha-snāna (bathing at sacred waters), preparing the seeker to receive Śiva’s anugraha (grace) and progress toward liberation.

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

By emphasizing seeing the Liṅgas—starting with Viśveśa—it highlights Saguna Śiva worship, where the Liṅga serves as the accessible, consecrated focus for devotion, reverence, and inner recollection of Śiva’s all-pervading reality.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform Liṅga-darśana and tīrtha-snāna as preparatory rites; then worship with mantra-japa (especially the Pañcākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and a purified mind, treating outer cleansing as support for inner steadiness and devotion.