Shloka 61

Adhyāya 25 — Liṅga-māhātmya (The Chapter on the Liṅga): Hari’s Śiva-Worship and the Fiery Pillar Theophany

Devanagari script

एष देवो महादेवः सदा संसारभीरुभिः / ध्येयः पूज्यश्च वन्द्यश्च ज्ञेयो लिङ्गे महेश्वरः

Transliteration

eṣa devo mahādevaḥ sadā saṃsārabhīrubhiḥ / dhyeyaḥ pūjyaśca vandyaśca jñeyo liṅge maheśvaraḥ

Translation

ഇവൻ തന്നെയാണ് മഹാദേവൻ; സംസാരബന്ധത്തെ ഭയക്കുന്നവർ അവനെ നിത്യവും ധ്യാനിക്കണം, പൂജിക്കണം, വന്ദിക്കണം. ലിംഗത്തിൽ മഹേശ്വരനെ അറിയുകയും സാക്ഷാത്കരിക്കുകയും വേണം.

Word by Word

• एषः: this (he)
• एषः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• देवः: god
• देवः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• महादेवः: Mahādeva (the great god)
• महादेवः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महादेव (प्रातिपदिक: महा + देव)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (विशेषण-विशेष्यभाव)

• सदा: always
• सदा: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Temporal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (temporal adverb)

• संसारभीरुभिः: by those who fear saṃsāra
• संसारभीरुभिः: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संसारभीरु (प्रातिपदिक: संसार + भीरु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (संसारस्य भीरुः)

• ध्येयः: to be meditated upon
• ध्येयः: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate nominative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ध्येय (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √ध्यै (धातु) + यत्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण; यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive: 'to be meditated upon')

• पूज्यः: to be worshipped
• पूज्यः: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate nominative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूज्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √पूज् (धातु) + यत्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive: 'to be worshipped')

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• वन्द्यः: to be revered/saluted
• वन्द्यः: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate nominative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वन्द्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √वन्द् (धातु) + यत्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive: 'to be saluted')

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• ज्ञेयः: to be known
• ज्ञेयः: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate nominative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्ञेय (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √ज्ञा (धातु) + यत्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive: 'to be known')

• लिङ्गे: in the liṅga
• लिङ्गे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• महेश्वरः: Maheśvara (the great Lord)
• महेश्वरः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक: महा + ईश्वर)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) instructing sages/seekers in a Shaiva-oriented teaching within the Kurma Purana

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Characters & Entities

• Mahadeva
• Maheshvara
• Linga
• Samsara

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

How does this verse explain the nature of the Supreme Self (Atman)?

It presents Maheśvara as the realizable supreme principle: not merely an external deity, but one to be truly “known” (jñeyaḥ) through contemplative recognition—here symbolically centered in the Liṅga as a support for inner realization beyond saṃsāra.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse foregrounds dhyāna (steady meditation) alongside pūjā and vandana, a classic Purāṇic-integrated sādhana where devotion and contemplative absorption work together—aligned with Shaiva/Pāśupata-style practice using the Liṅga as an ālambana (meditative support).

How does this verse depict the relationship between Shiva and Vishnu?

With Lord Kūrma (a Viṣṇu form) teaching unwavering contemplation of Mahādeva, the text models Kurma Purana’s Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis: the Supreme is honored through Śiva-upāsanā without sectarian opposition, emphasizing shared liberating intent.