Shloka 58

Vyāsotpatti-kathana

Account of the Birth/Origin of Vyāsa

Devanagari script

लिंगान्यभ्यर्च्य विश्वेशप्रमुखानि सुभक्तितः । असकृच्चिन्तयामास किं लिगं क्षिप्रसिद्धिदम्

Transliteration

liṃgānyabhyarcya viśveśapramukhāni subhaktitaḥ | asakṛccintayāmāsa kiṃ ligaṃ kṣiprasiddhidam

Translation

Having worshipped the many Śiva-liṅgas—beginning with Viśveśa—with sincere devotion, he reflected again and again: “Which liṅga bestows swift spiritual attainment?”

Word by Word

• लिङ्गानि: liṅgas (emblems)
• लिङ्गानि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), बहुवचन; here as कर्म (object) with gerund

• अभ्यर्च्य: having worshipped
• अभ्यर्च्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण; prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि√अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (gerund/absolutive), ‘having worshipped’

• विश्वेश-प्रमुखानि: with Viśveśa as the chief (among them)
• विश्वेश-प्रमुखानि: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विश्वेश (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रमुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष समास (विश्वेशः प्रमुखः येषाम्/यत्र), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; qualifies लिङ्गानि

• सुभक्तितः: with great devotion
• सुभक्तितः: Hetu/Prakāra (हेतु/प्रकार; manner/cause)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सु-भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb) = ‘from/with (good) devotion’; adverbial usage

• असकृत्: repeatedly
• असकृत्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: असकृत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• चिन्तयामास: he pondered/considered
• चिन्तयामास: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √चिन्त् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; periphrastic perfect (आमास)

• किम्: which/what
• किम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण; interrogative determiner)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; interrogative used with लिङ्गम्

• लिङ्गम्: liṅga
• लिङ्गम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; object of implied ‘to choose/think of’

• क्षिप्र-सिद्धि-दम्: giving quick success
• क्षिप्र-सिद्धि-दम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षिप्र (प्रातिपदिक) + सिद्धि (प्रातिपदिक) + द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष समास (क्षिप्रा सिद्धिः यस्य/यां ददाति), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; qualifies लिङ्गम्

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages at Naimisharanya, Umāsaṃhitā context)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Viśvanātha

Sthala Purana: ‘Viśveśa’ here naturally aligns with Kāśī Viśvanātha/Viśveśvara: Śiva as Lord of the Universe, granting liberation and swift spiritual fruition to pilgrims who worship the liṅga in Kāśī.

Significance: Worship of Viśveśa and other liṅgas is portrayed as a ladder of merit; the seeker’s question about ‘kṣipra-siddhi’ highlights the desire for accelerated anugraha (grace) culminating in jñāna and liberation.

Mantra Metadata

Type: panchakshara

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Ritual Elements

Offering: dhupa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Vishveshvara (Viśveśa)

FAQs

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

The verse highlights earnest bhakti joined with discernment: after honoring many forms of the Lord, the seeker longs to know the most effective focus for rapid inner purification and grace-bestowed attainment (siddhi).

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

It presents the liṅga as the accessible saguna support through which the devotee approaches the transcendent Pati (Śiva). Worship of renowned liṅgas (like Viśveśa) is shown as a means to concentrate devotion and receive Śiva’s anugraha (grace).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Repeated, devoted liṅga-pūjā—especially with steady remembrance (cintana)—is implied; practically, this aligns with daily abhiṣeka and japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) as a direct, grace-oriented discipline.