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Shiva Purana — Kotirudra Samhita, Shloka 9

महाकालज्योतिर्लिङ्गमाहात्म्ये चन्द्रसेन-चिन्तामणि-प्रसङ्गः

Mahākāla Jyotirliṅga Māhātmya: The Episode of King Candrasena and the Cintāmaṇi

श्रुत्वा चिन्तामणिग्रीवं चन्द्रसेनं नृपोत्तमम् । निखिलाः क्षितिराजानस्तृष्णाक्षुब्धहृदोऽभवन्

śrutvā cintāmaṇigrīvaṃ candrasenaṃ nṛpottamam | nikhilāḥ kṣitirājānastṛṣṇākṣubdhahṛdo'bhavan

Al oír hablar de Candrasena, el más excelso de los reyes, conocido como “Cintāmaṇigrīva” (el del cuello de joya), todos los gobernantes de la tierra se agitaron interiormente, con sus corazones conmovidos por la codicia.

śrutvāhaving heard
śrutvā:
Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√śru (श्रु धातु)
FormAbsolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा/अव्ययकृदन्त)
cintāmaṇi-grīvamone whose neck bears the cintāmaṇi
cintāmaṇi-grīvam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootcintāmaṇi (प्रातिपदिक) + grīva (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); बहुव्रीहिः (यस्य ग्रीवायां चिन्तामणिः सः)
candrasenamCandrasena
candrasenam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootcandrasena (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)
nṛpa-uttamamthe best of kings
nṛpa-uttamam:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootnṛpa (प्रातिपदिक) + uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); कर्मधारयः (उत्तमः नृपः)
nikhilāḥall, entire
nikhilāḥ:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootnikhila (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)
kṣiti-rājānaḥkings of the earth
kṣiti-rājānaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootkṣiti (प्रातिपदिक) + rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (क्षितेः राजानः = earth-kings)
tṛṣṇā-kṣubdha-hṛdaḥwhose hearts were agitated by craving
tṛṣṇā-kṣubdha-hṛdaḥ:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Roottṛṣṇā (प्रातिपदिक) + kṣubdha (प्रातिपदिक) + hṛd (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); बहुव्रीहिः (येषां हृदयं तृष्णया क्षुब्धम्)
abhavanbecame/were
abhavan:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√bhū (भू धातु)
FormImperfect (लङ्), Active voice (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन)

Suta Goswami

Tattva Level: pasha

Jyotirlinga: Mahākāleśvara

Sthala Purana: The Mahākāla setting frames a moral contrast: one king’s Śiva-śaraṇa yields steadiness, while other rulers, hearing of the jewel-throated king, fall into tṛṣṇā—bondage that veils discernment.

Significance: The episode is read as a warning: pilgrimage and proximity to Mahākāla should transmute desire into devotion; otherwise tirodhāna (veiling) persists as craving.

C
Candrasena

FAQs

The verse highlights how worldly “tṛṣṇā” (craving for status, wealth, or dominion) disturbs the heart, implying that true steadiness arises when the mind turns from envy to Shiva-bhakti and dharma.

In Kotirudra contexts, royal fame and power often become tests that expose jealousy; the corrective is devotion to Saguna Shiva through Linga-worship, which purifies ambition into reverence and surrender to Pati (Lord Shiva).

A practical takeaway is to counter craving with japa of the Panchakshara mantra (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and disciplined worship—offering water to the Linga and cultivating inner calm rather than rivalry.