Shloka 131
Vyāsotpatti-kathana
Account of the Birth/Origin of Vyāsa
मार्कण्डेयपुराणं हि तदाख्यातं च सप्तमम् । अग्नियोगात्तदाग्नेयं भविष्योक्तेर्भविष्यकम्
mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇaṃ hi tadākhyātaṃ ca saptamam | agniyogāttadāgneyaṃ bhaviṣyokterbhaviṣyakam
Indeed, the Mārkaṇḍeya Purāṇa is declared to be the seventh. Because it is connected with Agni it is called the Āgneya; and because it contains prophecies of what is to come, it is called the Bhaviṣya.
Suta Goswami
Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga episode; it gives nirukti-style naming: ‘Āgneya’ due to Agni-connection; ‘Bhaviṣya’ due to future-prophecy content.
Significance: Frames Purāṇic taxonomy; encourages scriptural study (svādhyāya) and attentive hearing as dharmic merit.
FAQs
The verse frames Purāṇic revelation as a purposeful map of dharma: names and classifications indicate the text’s function—illumining cosmic order and guiding the seeker toward right conduct and, ultimately, liberation under Śiva’s supreme lordship (Pati).
While not directly describing Liṅga-ritual, it validates Purāṇas as authoritative supports for Saguna-Śiva devotion—texts like these transmit the narratives, vows, and worship-forms through which devotees approach Śiva with faith and discipline.
The practical takeaway is svādhyāya (devotional study) and śravaṇa (listening) of Purāṇic teachings as a sādhana; this is commonly paired in Śaiva practice with daily japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” even though it is not explicitly mentioned in this verse.