Shloka 57

Gṛhapati’s Vow: Turning Grief into Mṛtyuñjaya–Mahākāla Sādhana (गृहपतेः प्रतिज्ञा—मृत्युंजय-महाकालजपः)

Devanagari script

नन्दीश्वर उवाच । इत्युक्तानीय तद्बन्धून्पित्रोश्च परिपश्यतोः । दिक्पतित्वेऽभिषिच्याग्निं तत्र लिंगे शिवोऽविशत्

Transliteration

nandīśvara uvāca | ityuktānīya tadbandhūnpitrośca paripaśyatoḥ | dikpatitve'bhiṣicyāgniṃ tatra liṃge śivo'viśat

Translation

Nandīśvara said: Having spoken thus, he summoned those relatives while the parents looked on; and after consecrating Agni, anointing him as lord of the quarters, Śiva then entered into that Liṅga.

Word by Word

• नन्दीश्वरः: Nandīśvara
• नन्दीश्वरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नन्दीश्वर (प्रातिपदिक; नन्दि+ईश्वर)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः कर्मधारय (नन्दी चासौ ईश्वरः)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• इति: thus
• इति: Vacana-paryavasana (वचनपर्यवसान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उद्धरण-समाप्तिसूचक निपात (‘thus’)

• उक्तान्: said/mentioned
• उक्तान्: Karma-anvayi Viśeṣaṇa (कर्मान्वयी विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उक्त (कृदन्त; √वच् धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (said/mentioned)

• आनीय: having brought
• आनीय: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण; पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ+नी (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप्/क्त्वार्थक-अव्यय (gerundial participle): ‘having brought’

• तत्-बन्धून्: his relatives
• तत्-बन्धून्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + बन्धु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (तस्य बन्धवः)

• पित्रोः: of (his) two parents
• पित्रोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, द्विवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• परिपश्यतोः: while (the two) were looking on
• परिपश्यतोः: Sati-saptami/Genitive absolute sense (सापेक्ष-परिस्थिति)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि+पश् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमान कृदन्त (present participle), षष्ठी-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; ‘while the two were watching’

• दिक्पतित्वे: in the status of lordship over the directions
• दिक्पतित्वे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिक्-पति-त्व (प्रातिपदिक; दिक्+पति+त्व)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (दिशां पतिः) + त्व-प्रत्यय (state of)

• अभिषिच्य: having consecrated
• अभिषिच्य: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण; पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि+सिच् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund): ‘having anointed/installed’

• अग्निम्: Agni
• अग्निम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Desha-adhikarana (देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; स्थानवाचक क्रियाविशेषण

• लिङ्गे: in the liṅga
• लिङ्गे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• शिवः: Śiva
• शिवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अविशत्: entered
• अविशत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि+श् (धातु)
• Form: लुङ्-लकार (Aorist/Imperfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Nandishvara (Nandi)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadashiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Agnī is installed as dikpati (guardian-lord of a quarter) through abhiṣeka, and Śiva ‘enters’ the liṅga—an archetypal consecration narrative explaining how a deity becomes specially present in an icon.

Significance: Frames liṅga-pratiṣṭhā as the means by which devotees access Śiva’s grace through a localized, worshipable presence.

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Deity-installation motif: the transcendent becomes immanent in the liṅga (iconic ‘āveśa’)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Nandishvara
• Agni

FAQs

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

The verse highlights the Liṅga as Śiva’s accessible, grace-filled manifestation: the transcendent Lord willingly abides in a consecrated form so devotees may approach Him through worship and receive upliftment toward liberation.

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

By stating that Śiva ‘entered’ the Liṅga, it frames Liṅga worship as communion with Saguna Śiva—Śiva present in a ritually established icon—while still pointing to His Nirguna reality beyond all forms.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It suggests pratiṣṭhā and abhiṣeka-oriented devotion: honoring the Liṅga with reverent consecration, fire-related purity (Agni), and steady contemplation of Śiva’s presence within the worshipped form.