Shloka 59

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

Devanagari script

चित्रहोत्रपुरी रम्या सुखदार्चिष्मती वरा । जातवेदसि ये भक्ता ते तत्र निवसन्ति वै

Transliteration

citrahotrapurī ramyā sukhadārciṣmatī varā | jātavedasi ye bhaktā te tatra nivasanti vai

Translation

Chitrahotrapurī is delightful—an excellent realm called Sukhadā and Arciṣmatī. Those devotees who are devoted to Jātavedas (Agni) indeed dwell there.

Word by Word

• चित्रहोत्रपुरी: Citrahotra-city (name of a city)
• चित्रहोत्रपुरी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चित्र-होत्र-पुरī (प्रातिपदिक; चित्र+होत्र+पुरी)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (चित्रं होत्रं यस्यां सा पुरी / ‘city of Citrahotra’)

• रम्या: lovely
• रम्या: Karta-anvayi Viśeṣaṇa (कर्तान्वयी विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सुखदा: bestowing happiness
• सुखदा: Karta-anvayi Viśeṣaṇa (कर्तान्वयी विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुख-द (प्रातिपदिक; सुख+दा)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुष (सुखं ददाति)

• अर्चिष्मती: radiant/flame-bearing
• अर्चिष्मती: Karta-anvayi Viśeṣaṇa (कर्तान्वयी विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अर्चिष्मत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; मतुप्-प्रत्ययान्त (‘possessing flames/splendor’)

• वरा: excellent
• वरा: Karta-anvayi Viśeṣaṇa (कर्तान्वयी विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• जातवेदसि: in/for Jātavedas (Agni)
• जातवेदसि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जातवेदस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि (जातं वेदः यस्य—‘he who knows all that is born’, epithet of Agni)

• ये: who
• ये: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सम्बन्ध-प्रत्यय (relative pronoun)

• भक्ताः: devotees
• भक्ताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्त (कृदन्त; √भज् धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त, ‘devotees’

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तद्-प्रत्यय (correlative pronoun)

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

• निवसन्ति: dwell
• निवसन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि+वस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन

• वै: indeed
• वै: Nipata (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic particle)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahadeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Describes a radiant devotional realm (Chitrahotrapurī / Sukhadā / Arciṣmatī) attained by bhaktas of Jātavedas (Agni), consistent with loka-phala for specific upāsanā.

Significance: Promises a blissful post-mortem residence for devotees—motivating sustained bhakti and ritual purity.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: dhupa

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Loka-description (devaloka-style) associated with Agni devotion

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse highlights a core Shaiva theme: sincere devotion (bhakti) to the Divine leads the soul toward auspicious, luminous states of being—symbolized here by radiant, happiness-giving abodes where devotees ‘dwell’ due to their steadfast devotion.

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

By naming Jātavedas (a radiant, fire-like divine epithet), the verse points to Saguna contemplation—approaching Shiva through a perceivable, worship-worthy aspect. In Shaiva practice, this aligns with Linga-upasana where the formless is honored through an accessible sacred form.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The practical takeaway is bhakti-supported upasana: daily Shiva remembrance with mantra-japa (especially the Panchakshara, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and worship with purity and steadiness, cultivating the ‘radiance’ (arciṣ) implied by the verse.