Shloka 24

द्वादशज्योतिर्लिङ्गावतारकथनम्

Account of the Twelve Jyotirliṅga Manifestations

Devanagari script

नरनारायणाख्यौ याववतारौ हरेर्मुने । तत्प्रार्थितश्शिवस्तत्स्थैः केदारे हिमभूधरे

Transliteration

naranārāyaṇākhyau yāvavatārau harermune | tatprārthitaśśivastatsthaiḥ kedāre himabhūdhare

Translation

O sage, the two incarnations of Hari known as Nara and Nārāyaṇa—having prayed there—besought Lord Śiva; and Śiva, entreated by those ascetics abiding in that place, manifested at Kedāra on the snow-clad Himalayan mountain.

Word by Word

• नरनारायणाख्यौ: named Nara and Nārāyaṇa (the two)
• नरनारायणाख्यौ: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नर + नारायण + आख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन; तत्पुरुषः (नरनारायण इति आख्या यस्य/ययोः)

• यौ: who (two)
• यौ: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन

• अवतारौ: incarnations
• अवतारौ: कर्ता (Subject complement/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवतार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन

• हरेः: of Hari (Viṣṇu)
• हरेः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• मुने: O sage
• मुने: सम्बोधन (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘तत्प्रार्थितः’ इत्यत्र उपसर्जन

• प्रार्थितः: having been requested
• प्रार्थितः: क्रियाविशेषण/भाव (Predicate participle/कृदन्त)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + अर्थ् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (Past Passive Participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगः (having been requested)

• शिवः: Śiva
• शिवः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तत्स्थैः: by those who were there
• तत्स्थैः: करण/सहकारि (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत् + स्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (तत्र स्थाः—those who were there)

• केदारे: in Kedāra
• केदारे: अधिकरण (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केदार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• हिमभूधरे: on the snowy mountain
• हिमभूधरे: अधिकरण (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिम + भूधर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (हिमः भूधरः—snowy mountain)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Kedāranātha

Sthala Purana: Nara-Nārāyaṇa, the two avatāras of Hari, perform tapas in the हिमालय; their prayer draws Śiva’s gracious manifestation at Kedāra, establishing the Kedāra-liṅga as a locus of anugraha for ascetics and pilgrims.

Significance: Darśana at Kedāra is portrayed as Śiva’s direct response to tapas and prayer, making the site a paradigmatic kṣetra for grace (anugraha) and siddhi for renunciants and householders alike.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Vishnu (Hari)
• Nara
• Narayana
• Kedara (Kedarnath)

FAQs

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

It teaches that intense tapas and sincere prayer draw the grace (anugraha) of Pati, Lord Śiva—who responds to devotion regardless of whether the worshippers are linked to Hari or any other divine form.

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

By locating Śiva’s manifestation at Kedāra in the Himalaya, the verse supports pilgrimage and reverence to Śiva’s accessible, worship-worthy presence (saguṇa-anugraha), commonly honored in sacred sites and linga-centered devotion.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The implied practice is tapas with prayer—steady japa (especially the Panchakshara, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), along with simple pilgrimage discipline and worship at a Śiva-kṣetra like Kedāra.