Shloka 21

Pārthiva-Śiva-liṅga-māhātmya

The Excellence of the Earthen Śiva Liṅga

Devanagari script

अनेनैव स्वदेहेन रुद्र लोके महीयते । पापहं सर्वमर्त्यानां दर्शनात्स्पर्शनादपि

Transliteration

anenaiva svadehena rudra loke mahīyate | pāpahaṃ sarvamartyānāṃ darśanātsparśanādapi

Translation

By this very body alone, one is honored in Rudra’s world. One becomes a destroyer of sins for all mortals—even by merely seeing one or touching one.

Word by Word

• anena: by this
• anena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular; pronoun

• eva: indeed; only
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; emphatic particle (निश्चयार्थक/अवधारण)

• sva-dehena: with one’s own body
• sva-dehena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक) + deha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular; तत्पुरुषसमासः (स्वस्य देहः)

• rudra: O Rudra
• rudra: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rudra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular; संबोधन

• loke: in the world (realm)
• loke: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• mahīyate: is honored; is glorified
• mahīyate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: mah (धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लṭ्), Ātmanepada; 3rd person singular (प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन); passive/mediopassive sense ‘is honored’; धातु: मह् (पूजायाम्/मानने)

• pāpa-ham: destroying sin
• pāpa-ham: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pāpa (प्रातिपदिक) + han (धातु)
• Form: Kridanta adjective; present participial/agentive formation from √han with upapada pāpa-; Neuter/masc accusative singular used predicatively; meaning ‘sin-destroying’

• sarva-martyānām: of all mortals
• sarva-martyānām: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + martya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural; तत्पुरुषसमासः (सर्वे मर्त्याः)

• darśanāt: from seeing; by sight
• darśanāt: Hetu (हेतु/cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: darśana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular

• sparśanāt: from touching; by touch
• sparśanāt: Hetu (हेतु/cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sparśana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular

• api: also; even
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/addition)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; additive particle (समुच्चय/अपि)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Rudra

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Rudra

FAQs

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

It teaches that Shiva’s grace (anugraha) can sanctify embodied life itself: association with what is consecrated to Rudra leads to honor in Rudra-loka and the destruction of sin through simple darśana (seeing) and sparśa (touch).

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

The verse reflects the Shiva Purana’s emphasis on Saguna Shiva worship where tangible contact—darśana and sparśa of Shiva-linked sanctity (such as the Linga, sacred ash, rudrākṣa, or a consecrated devotee)—becomes a vehicle for purification and merit by Shiva’s presence.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Prioritize darśana of Shiva and respectful sparśa of consecrated Shaiva items; combine this with japa of the Panchakshara (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and purity disciplines to align the body and mind with Rudra.