Shloka 135

अविमुक्तक्षेत्रमाहात्म्य — काशी-वाराणसी में मोक्ष, लिङ्ग-तीर्थ-मानचित्र, और उपासना-विधि

Devanagari script

मध्यमेश्वरसंज्ञं च तथा पाशुपतेश्वरम् शङ्कुकर्णेश्वरं चैव गोकर्णौ च तथा ह्युभौ

Transliteration

madhyameśvarasaṃjñaṃ ca tathā pāśupateśvaram śaṅkukarṇeśvaraṃ caiva gokarṇau ca tathā hyubhau

Translation

അവൻ ‘മധ്യമേശ്വര’ എന്ന നാമത്താലും, ‘പാശുപതേശ്വര’—ബന്ധിത ജീവന്മാരുടെ അധിപൻ—എന്ന രൂപത്താലും പ്രസിദ്ധനാണ്. ‘ശങ്കുകർണേശ്വര’ എന്നും, അതുപോലെ ഇരട്ട ‘ഗോകർണ’ രൂപങ്ങളിലും ഭക്തമോക്ഷാർത്ഥം അവൻ ആരാധിക്കപ്പെടുന്നു।

Word by Word

• मध्यमेश्वरसंज्ञम्: known by the name Madhyameśvara

• च: and

• तथा: likewise

• पाशुपतेश्वरम्: Pāśupateśvara, the Lord (Īśvara) of the paśus (souls)

• शङ्कुकर्णेश्वरम्: Śaṅkukarṇeśvara (a named form/linga of Śiva)

• च एव: and indeed

• गोकर्णौ: the two (sites/forms) called Gokarṇa

• च: and

• तथा: likewise

• हि: indeed

• उभौ: both (two).

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

What is the importance of this verse in the context of Linga worship?

This verse lists specific, named Shiva-linga manifestations (Madhyameśvara, Pāśupateśvara, Śaṅkukarṇeśvara, and Gokarṇa), emphasizing that worship of the Linga in consecrated tirthas is a direct means to approach Pati (Śiva) for grace and purification.

How does this verse describe the nature of Shiva (Shiva-tattva)?

By naming Śiva as Pāśupateśvara, it frames Shiva-tattva as Pati—the sovereign Lord of paśus (individual souls) who removes pāśa (bondage). The plurality of names indicates one Supreme Īśvara accessible through many sacred forms without compromising non-duality of lordship.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The focus is tirtha-based Linga-pūjā—pilgrimage, darśana, and worship of established lingas. Implicitly, the Pāśupata orientation is devotion and discipline aimed at loosening pāśa through Śiva’s grace rather than mere external rite.