Shloka 39

द्वादशज्योतिर्लिङ्गावतारकथनम्

Account of the Twelve Jyotirliṅga Manifestations

Devanagari script

तदानयनरूपं हि व्याजं कृत्वा महेश्वरः । ज्योतिर्लिंगस्वरूपेण चिताभूमौ प्रतिष्ठितः

Transliteration

tadānayanarūpaṃ hi vyājaṃ kṛtvā maheśvaraḥ | jyotirliṃgasvarūpeṇa citābhūmau pratiṣṭhitaḥ

Translation

Then Maheśvara, adopting the pretext of being brought there, became established upon the cremation-ground as the Jyotirliṅga—His luminous Liṅga-form—revealing the Lord who transcends form while graciously accepting a worshipful manifestation for the liberation of souls.

Word by Word

• tad-ānayana-rūpam: the form/pretext of bringing that (back)
• tad-ānayana-rūpam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम) + ānayana (प्रातिपदिक) + rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (determinative: ‘तद्-आनयनस्य रूपम्’), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• hi: indeed/for
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अवधान/कारणार्थ

• vyājam: a pretext
• vyājam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vyāja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• kṛtvā: having made
• kṛtvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु) + ktvā (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया

• maheśvaraḥ: Maheśvara (Śiva)
• maheśvaraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maheśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• jyotiḥ-liṅga-svarūpeṇa: in the form of the Jyotirliṅga
• jyotiḥ-liṅga-svarūpeṇa: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jyotis (प्रातिपदिक) + liṅga (प्रातिपदिक) + svarūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (determinative: ‘ज्योतिषः लिङ्गस्य स्वरूपेण’), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/करण), एकवचन

• citā-bhūmau: on the cremation-ground
• citā-bhūmau: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: citā (प्रातिपदिक) + bhūmi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (determinative: ‘चितायाः भूमौ’), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• pratiṣṭhitaḥ: stood/was established
• pratiṣṭhitaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: prati-ṣṭhā (धातु) + kta (कृत्)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (Past participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘maheśvaraḥ’ इत्यस्य विशेषण

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Vaidyanātha

Sthala Purana: Śiva, responding to a situational ‘pretext’ (vyāja) of being brought/led, graciously abides on the cremation-ground (citābhūmi) as a self-manifest luminous Liṅga so that bound souls may approach the formless Lord through a worshipful form.

Significance: Darśana and pūjā of the Jyotirliṅga are taught as direct means to both bhukti and mukti; the cremation-ground setting underscores conquest of fear of death and the burning of pāśa (bondage).

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that Śiva, though transcendent (Pati), compassionately assumes an accessible, luminous Liṅga-form so bound souls (paśu) may worship, receive grace, and move toward liberation.

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

The verse explicitly presents Śiva as Jyotirliṅga-svarūpa—His saguna, worshipable manifestation—through which devotees approach the formless reality without reducing it, a central Shaiva Siddhānta devotional bridge.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Contemplate and worship the Jyotirliṅga with pañcākṣarī japa (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and simple liṅga-pūjā (water/abhisheka), holding the cremation-ground symbolism as dispassion and remembrance of impermanence.