Shloka 55
मा ययाग्निं समुद्दीप्य दग्धन्ते नाट्यमण्डपम् । दग्धं कृत्वा रत्नलिंगं प्रविष्टोहं हुताशनम्
mā yayāgniṃ samuddīpya dagdhante nāṭyamaṇḍapam | dagdhaṃ kṛtvā ratnaliṃgaṃ praviṣṭohaṃ hutāśanam
“Alas! By her they kindled the fire and burned down the hall of sacred dance. Having burned the jewel-like Liṅga, I too entered the blazing fire.”
Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating the Purāṇic account to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Naṭarāja
Sthala Purana: The verse evokes a sacred nāṭyamaṇḍapa (dance-pavilion) and a ratna-liṅga being burned, functioning as a dramatic purāṇic motif of desecration and the devotee’s self-immolation; it is not tied here to a specific Jyotirliṅga sthala narrative.
Significance: Highlights the purāṇic theme that even catastrophic loss of external sacred supports can become a doorway to Śiva’s grace when met with unwavering devotion and surrender.
Shakti Form: Satī
Role: liberating
FAQs
The verse uses Agni as a moral and spiritual symbol: when sacred space (the nāṭyamaṇḍapa) and the Liṅga are violated, the narrative highlights the grave karmic weight of sacrilege and the inevitable burning away of order (dharma) through fire—pointing the devotee back to reverence, restraint, and right worship of Pati (Śiva).
Calling the Liṅga “ratna-liṅga” emphasizes the Liṅga as a precious, consecrated manifestation of Saguna Śiva for devotees—an accessible locus for devotion and ritual. Burning it signifies an assault on that sacred relationship, underscoring Shaiva teaching that honoring the Liṅga is honoring Śiva’s presence and grace in the world.
The takeaway is protective reverence: maintain sanctity in temple/ritual spaces, approach the Liṅga with purity and devotion, and take refuge in japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) as a stabilizing practice—especially during observances like Mahāśivarātri.