Shloka 10

द्वादशज्योतिर्लिङ्गावतारकथनम्

Account of the Twelve Jyotirliṅga Manifestations

Devanagari script

मल्लिकार्जुनसंज्ञश्चावतारश्शंकरस्य वै । द्वितीयः श्रीगिरौ तात भक्ताभीष्टफलप्रदः

Transliteration

mallikārjunasaṃjñaścāvatāraśśaṃkarasya vai | dvitīyaḥ śrīgirau tāta bhaktābhīṣṭaphalapradaḥ

Translation

O dear one, the incarnation of Śaṅkara known as Mallikārjuna is indeed the second manifestation; on the sacred Śrīgiri He grants devotees the fruits of their cherished wishes.

Word by Word

• मल्लिकार्जुन-संज्ञः: named Mallikārjuna
• मल्लिकार्जुन-संज्ञः: कर्ता-विशेषण (Qualifier of subject/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मल्लिकार्जुन (प्रातिपदिक) + संज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—‘मल्लिकार्जुन इति संज्ञा यस्य’ (named Mallikārjuna)

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अवतारः: incarnation
• अवतारः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवतार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• शंकरस्य: of Śaṅkara
• शंकरस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• वै: indeed
• वै: सम्बन्ध (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• द्वितीयः: the second
• द्वितीयः: कर्ता-विशेषण (Qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वितीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्रमवाचक (ordinal)

• श्री-गिरौ: on the holy mountain
• श्री-गिरौ: अधिकरण (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री (प्रातिपदिक) + गिरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative/सप्तमी), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—‘श्रीमान् गिरिः’

• तात: O dear (one)
• तात: सम्बोधन (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; स्नेहसम्बोधन

• भक्त-अभीष्ट-फल-प्रदः: giver of devotees’ desired boons
• भक्त-अभीष्ट-फल-प्रदः: कर्ता-विशेषण (Qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भक्त (प्रातिपदिक) + अभीष्ट (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + फल (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रद (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः—‘भक्तानाम् अभीष्टं फलं प्रददाति’ (giver of desired fruits to devotees)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Mallikārjuna

Sthala Purana: On Śrīgiri (Śrīśaila), Śiva abides as Mallikārjuna, famed for granting devotees’ desired fruits; the site is also linked with Śiva-Pārvatī’s gracious presence for bhakta-anugraha.

Significance: Second Jyotirliṅga in the krama; worship is said to yield iṣṭa-phala (bhukti) and mature into Śiva’s grace leading toward mukti.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Shankara
• Mallikarjuna
• Shrigiri

FAQs

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

It praises Śiva as Mallikārjuna, emphasizing that the Lord compassionately takes a manifest (saguṇa) form at a sacred place to shower devotees with grace and fulfill their dharmic aspirations—strengthening bhakti as a direct means to divine favor.

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

By calling Mallikārjuna an avatāra of Śaṅkara situated on Śrīgiri, the verse supports pilgrimage and liṅga/temple worship as valid saguṇa upāsanā—approaching the transcendent Pati through a consecrated form that becomes a channel of anugraha (grace).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is bhakti-centered worship at a Śiva shrine—japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), abhiṣeka to the liṅga, and prayer for right-intentioned boons—especially on Mondays or Mahāśivarātri.