Shloka 30

Devanagari script

विश्वेश्वरावतारस्तु काश्यां जातो हि सप्तमः । सर्वब्रह्माण्डरूपश्च भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदो मुने

Transliteration

viśveśvarāvatārastu kāśyāṃ jāto hi saptamaḥ | sarvabrahmāṇḍarūpaśca bhuktimuktiprado mune

Translation

O sage, the seventh incarnation is Viśveśvara, who was indeed born in Kāśī. He is the form of the entire cosmos and bestows both bhukti (worldly enjoyment) and mukti (liberation).

Word by Word

• विश्वेश्वरावतारः: incarnation of Viśveśvara
• विश्वेश्वरावतारः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्वेश्वर + अवतार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘विश्वेश्वरस्य अवतारः’ (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

• तु: indeed/and
• तु: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्धबोधक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; contrast/emphasis)

• काश्याम्: in Kāśī
• काश्याम्: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Feminine, Locative, Singular)

• जातः: was born
• जातः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (Past Passive Participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘born’ (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्धबोधक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; indeed)

• सप्तमः: seventh
• सप्तमः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

• सर्वब्रह्माण्डरूपः: having the form of the entire cosmos
• सर्वब्रह्माण्डरूपः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + ब्रह्माण्ड + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः ‘सर्वेषां ब्रह्माण्डानां रूपः’ (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्धबोधक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-निपात (conjunction)

• भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदः: giver of enjoyment and liberation
• भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भुक्ति + मुक्ति + प्रद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्वन्द्व-पूर्वपद (भुक्ति-मुक्ति) + तत्पुरुष ‘प्रद’ (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

• मुने: O sage
• मुने: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Vocative, Singular)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Viśvanātha

Sthala Purana: Viśveśvara/Viśvanātha manifests in Kāśī as a Jyotirliṅga-avatāra; the verse stresses his viśvarūpatva (cosmic form) and his twofold gift—bhukti (worldly welfare) and mukti (liberation), a hallmark of Kāśī-māhātmya traditions.

Significance: Kāśī-Viśvanātha darśana is famed for granting both artha/kāma in dharmic measure and mokṣa; Kāśī is treated as a special kṣetra where Śiva’s grace is immediate and salvific.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Vishveshvara
• Kashi (Varanasi)

FAQs

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

It proclaims Viśveśvara of Kāśī as a complete, cosmos-pervading manifestation of Śiva (Pati), who grants both righteous prosperity and final liberation—showing that devotion in Śiva’s kṣetra can ripen from bhukti into mukti.

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

Viśveśvara is approached as Saguna Śiva—worshiped in Kāśī through the Liṅga—yet described as sarva-brahmāṇḍa-rūpa, indicating that the visible Liṅga is a doorway to the all-pervading reality of Śiva.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Kāśī-Viśveśvara worship with pañcākṣarī japa (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), Liṅga-abhisheka, and steady remembrance of Śiva as the indwelling cosmic Self supports both worldly harmony and the aspiration for moksha.