Shloka 17
जमदग्निश्च संवर्तो मतंगो भरतोंशुमान् । व्यासः कात्यायनः कुत्सः शौनकस्तु श्रुतश्शुकः
jamadagniśca saṃvarto mataṃgo bharatoṃśumān | vyāsaḥ kātyāyanaḥ kutsaḥ śaunakastu śrutaśśukaḥ
Jamadagni, Saṃvarta, Mataṅga, Bharata, and the radiant Aṃśumān; Vyāsa, Kātyāyana, Kutsa, Śaunaka, and Śrutaśśuka—these revered sages too are counted among those celebrated in this account of Śiva’s manifold manifestations.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pashu
Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga passage; continues the enumeration of eminent transmitters (including Vyāsa and Śaunaka) who embody the preservation and dissemination of Śiva-kathā.
Significance: General: honoring Vyāsa/Śaunaka evokes the Purāṇic śravaṇa tradition; supports the merit of listening at sacred assemblies (sat-saṅga) as a means toward Śiva’s grace.
FAQs
By naming eminent ṛṣis, the text affirms that knowledge of Śiva’s infinite forms is preserved and transmitted through authoritative seer-lineages, encouraging devotees to approach Śiva with śraddhā (reverent trust) and disciplined listening (śravaṇa).
The verse situates Śaiva worship within a received tradition: just as these sages are honored as custodians of sacred insight, devotees honor Saguna Śiva—often through the Liṅga—as the accessible focus through which the transcendent (Nirguṇa) reality is contemplated and realized.
The immediate takeaway is śravaṇa and smaraṇa—regular recitation and remembrance of Śiva’s names and accounts as taught by the sages—supported by japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) as a steady daily practice.