Shloka 9

द्वादशज्योतिर्लिङ्गावतारकथनम्

Account of the Twelve Jyotirliṅga Manifestations

Devanagari script

सोमेश्वरं महालिंगं शिवस्य परमात्मकम् । दृष्ट्वा प्रमुच्यते पापाद्भुक्तिं मुक्तिं च विन्दति

Transliteration

someśvaraṃ mahāliṃgaṃ śivasya paramātmakam | dṛṣṭvā pramucyate pāpādbhuktiṃ muktiṃ ca vindati

Translation

Having beheld the great Liṅga of Someśvara—the supreme embodiment of Lord Śiva—one is freed from sin and attains both bhukti (worldly fulfillment) and mukti (final liberation).

Word by Word

• सोम-ईश्वरम्: Someśvara (Lord of Soma)
• सोम-ईश्वरम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सोम (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—‘सोमस्य ईश्वरः’

• महा-लिङ्गम्: the great liṅga
• महा-लिङ्गम्: कर्म (Object/apposition/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (पूर्वपद) + लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—‘महद् लिङ्गम्’

• शिवस्य: of Śiva
• शिवस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• परम-आत्मकम्: of supreme nature
• परम-आत्मकम्: कर्म-विशेषण (Qualifier of object/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—‘परमं आत्मा यस्य/यत्’ (of supreme essence)

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: पूर्वकाल (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Gerund/Absolutive), अव्ययभाव; ‘having seen’

• प्रमुच्यते: is freed
• प्रमुच्यते: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र+मुच् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)

• पापात्: from sin
• पापात्: अपादान (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (Ablative/पञ्चमी), एकवचन

• भुक्तिम्: enjoyment/worldly prosperity
• भुक्तिम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• मुक्तिम्: liberation
• मुक्तिम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

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

• विन्दति: attains
• विन्दति: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद्/विन्द् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Somanātha

Sthala Purana: Candra (Soma), afflicted by dakṣa-śāpa and wasting away, worshipped Śiva; Śiva manifested as the luminous liṅga and restored Soma, establishing the shrine famed for granting both bhukti and mukti.

Significance: Darśana of the Jyotirliṅga is said to burn pāpa and confer prosperity (bhukti) and liberation (mukti), aligning with Śiva’s role as Pati who loosens the paśa for the paśu.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Someshvara

FAQs

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

The verse teaches that Śiva’s grace is accessible through sacred darśana of the Liṅga: merely beholding the Someśvara Mahāliṅga purifies accumulated pāpa and matures the soul toward Śiva-realization, culminating in mukti.

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

It presents the Liṅga as Śiva’s “paramātmakam” form—Śiva made present for devotion—showing how Saguna worship (approaching Śiva through a consecrated emblem) leads from worldly well-being (bhukti) to transcendence (mukti).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The implied practice is Liṅga-darśana with bhakti—visiting the shrine, offering water/milk, and mentally remembering Śiva (e.g., japa of the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) while taking darśana of the Mahāliṅga.