Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 32

गणेशविवाहोत्सवः तथा सिद्धि-बुद्धि-सन्तानवर्णनम् | Gaṇeśa’s Wedding Festival and the Progeny of Siddhi & Buddhi

Devanagari script

तत्सुखार्थं स्वयं शंभुर्गतस्स्वांशेन पर्वते । मल्लिकार्जुननामासीज्ज्योतिर्लिङ्गं सुखावहम्

Transliteration

tatsukhārthaṃ svayaṃ śaṃbhurgatassvāṃśena parvate | mallikārjunanāmāsījjyotirliṅgaṃ sukhāvaham

Translation

ಆ ಭಕ್ತನ ಸುಖಕ್ಕಾಗಿ ಸ್ವತಃ ಶಂಭು ತನ್ನ ಅಂಶದಿಂದ ಆ ಪರ್ವತಕ್ಕೆ ಹೋದನು ಮತ್ತು ಅಲ್ಲಿ ಅವನು ಸುಖವನ್ನು ನೀಡುವ 'ಮಲ್ಲಿಕಾರ್ಜುನ' ಎಂಬ ಜ್ಯೋತಿರ್ಲಿಂಗವಾದನು.

Word by Word

• तत्: of that
• तत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी एकवचन; used as first member in compound; Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• सुखार्थम्: for (its) happiness
• सुखार्थम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुख + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी-तत्पुरुष (सुखाय अर्थः) / purpose-compound; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन (अर्थे अव्ययीभाववत्); Neuter, Accusative, Singular; ‘for the sake of happiness’

• स्वयम्: himself
• स्वयम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: स्वयम्-शब्दः, क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• शम्भुः: Śambhu (Śiva)
• शम्भुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम्भु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• गतः: went
• गतः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (भूतकृदन्त/PPP), प्रथमा एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग; Past participle; Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• स्वांशेन: by/with his own portion (aspect)
• स्वांशेन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व + अंश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थकः (स्वः अंशः) ‘own portion’; पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया एकवचन; Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• पर्वते: on the mountain
• पर्वते: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर्वत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी एकवचन; Masculine, Locative, Singular

• मल्लिकार्जुननाम: named Mallikārjuna
• मल्लिकार्जुननाम: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मल्लिका + अर्जुन + नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (मल्लिकार्जुनस्य नाम) ‘named Mallikārjuna’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; Neuter, Nominative, Singular; predicate adjective to ज्योतिर्लिङ्गम्

• आसीत्: was
• आसीत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत) 3 पुरुष एकवचन, परस्मैपद; Imperfect, 3rd person singular

• ज्योतिःलिङ्गम्: the Jyotirliṅga
• ज्योतिःलिङ्गम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्योतिस् + लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (ज्योतिषः लिङ्गम्) / determinative; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• सुखावहम्: bringing happiness
• सुखावहम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुख + आवह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उपपद-तत्पुरुष (सुखम् आवहति इति) ‘bringing happiness’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; agreeing with ज्योतिर्लिङ्गम्; Neuter, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmi (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Mallikārjuna

Sthala Purana: Śiva, moved by the devotee’s longing for sukha and darśana, manifests on the mountain as a self-revealed Jyotirliṅga named Mallikārjuna, granting auspicious joy and welfare.

Significance: Darśana of Mallikārjuna is taught as sukha-prada and bhakti-siddhi; in Siddhānta terms it signifies Śiva’s anugraha that loosens pāśa and turns the paśu toward liberation.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Mallikārjuna Jyotirliṅga

FAQs

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

It teaches that Śiva, as Pati (the Lord), compassionately reveals Himself in a worship-accessible form (Jyotirliṅga) to grant devotees auspicious joy and spiritual upliftment, showing divine grace responding to bhakti.

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

The verse presents the Jyotirliṅga as Śiva’s luminous, saguna manifestation—an embodied focus for devotion through which the nirguna Lord becomes approachable, allowing devotees to receive blessings and inner transformation.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform Liṅga-pūjā with steady bhakti—offerings, japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), and contemplative remembrance of Śiva’s light (jyotis) as the indwelling auspicious presence.