Shloka 7

द्वादशज्योतिर्लिङ्गावतारकथनम्

Account of the Twelve Jyotirliṅga Manifestations

Devanagari script

शिवावतारस्सोमेशो लिंगरूपेण संस्थितः । सौराष्ट्रे शुभदेशे च शशिना पूजितः पुरा

Transliteration

śivāvatārassomeśo liṃgarūpeṇa saṃsthitaḥ | saurāṣṭre śubhadeśe ca śaśinā pūjitaḥ purā

Translation

Someśa—an incarnation of Lord Śiva—abides there established in the form of the Liṅga. In the auspicious land of Saurāṣṭra, he was worshipped in ancient times by Śaśin, the Moon.

Word by Word

• शिवावतारः: incarnation of Śiva
• शिवावतारः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव + अवतार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (शिवस्य अवतारः)

• सोमेशः: Soma-īśa (Lord Soma / Somnātha)
• सोमेशः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सोमेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• लिङ्गरूपेण: in the form of a liṅga
• लिङ्गरूपेण: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (लिङ्गस्य रूपम्)

• संस्थितः: is established / stands
• संस्थितः: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + स्था (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त/PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोगः—“स्थितः/स्थापितः”

• सौराष्ट्रे: in Saurāṣṭra
• सौराष्ट्रे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सौराष्ट्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (देशवाचक), सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• शुभदेशे: in an auspicious place
• शुभदेशे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुभ + देश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (शुभः देशः)

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

• शशिना: by the Moon (Śaśin)
• शशिना: Kartr (कर्ता/Agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शशिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• पूजितः: was worshipped
• पूजितः: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त/PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि—“पूजितः”

• पुरा: formerly / in ancient times
• पुरा: Kala (काल/Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Somanātha

Sthala Purana: Afflicted Śaśin (Candra) worshipped Śiva in Saurāṣṭra; Śiva manifested/abided as liṅga (Someśa/Somanātha), restoring the Moon and establishing the shrine’s fame.

Significance: Affirms liṅga as Śiva’s avatāra for devotees: worship at Somanātha is held to confer auspiciousness, restoration, and the ‘return of light’—symbolically, the return of jñāna and dharma in the paśu.

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: dipa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Somesha
• Soma (Moon)
• Linga
• Saurashtra

FAQs

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

It affirms that the Supreme Śiva, though transcendent, compassionately becomes accessible as a consecrated Liṅga-form (saguṇa upāsanā), enabling devotees to approach him through steady worship and receive grace.

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

By stating that Someśa is ‘established in the form of the Liṅga,’ the verse presents the Liṅga as a legitimate, sanctified support for devotion—where the formless Lord is revered through a visible, worship-worthy manifestation.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Liṅga-pūjā: offer water (abhisheka), flowers, and bilva leaves with mantra-japa—especially the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—cultivating one-pointed devotion and inner purity.