Shloka 1

ज्योतिर्लिङ्ग-तदुपलिङ्ग-माहात्म्यवर्णनम्

Narration of the Greatness of the Jyotirliṅga and Associated Liṅgas

Devanagari script

इति श्रीशिवमहापुराणे चतुर्थ्यां कोटिरुद्रसंहितायां ज्योतिर्लिगतदुपलिंग माहात्म्यवर्णनं नाम प्रथमोऽध्यायः

Transliteration

iti śrīśivamahāpurāṇe caturthyāṃ koṭirudrasaṃhitāyāṃ jyotirligatadupaliṃga māhātmyavarṇanaṃ nāma prathamo'dhyāyaḥ

Translation

ഇങ്ങനെ ശ്രീശിവമഹാപുരാണത്തിലെ നാലാം ഭാഗമായ കോടിരുദ്രസംഹിതയിൽ ‘ജ്യോതിര്ലിംഗവും തദുപലിംഗവും മഹാത്മ്യം വർണ്ണനം’ എന്ന പേരിലുള്ള ആദ്യ അധ്യായം ആരംഭിക്കുന്നു।

Word by Word

• iti: thus
• iti: Textual marker (इति-प्रयोग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Quotative particle (इति-निपात) marking end of section

• śrī-śiva-mahā-purāṇe: in the Śrī Śiva Mahāpurāṇa
• śrī-śiva-mahā-purāṇe: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī (श्री) + śiva (शिव) + mahā (महा) + purāṇa (पुराण)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7/सप्तमी), Singular; title compound

• caturthyām: in the fourth
• caturthyām: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: caturthī (चतुर्थी प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Locative (7/सप्तमी), Singular; ordinal adjective agreeing with saṃhitāyām

• koṭi-rudra-saṃhitāyām: in the Koṭirudra-saṃhitā
• koṭi-rudra-saṃhitāyām: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: koṭi (कोटि) + rudra (रुद्र) + saṃhitā (संहिता)
• Form: Feminine, Locative (7/सप्तमी), Singular; title compound

• jyotiḥ-liṅga-tad-upaliṅga: (about) the Jyotirliṅga and its subsidiary liṅga
• jyotiḥ-liṅga-tad-upaliṅga: Vishaya (विषय/शीर्षक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jyotis (ज्योतिस्) + liṅga (लिङ्ग) + tad (तद्) + upaliṅga (उपलिङ्ग)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative (1/2), Singular; compound used as part of chapter-title; sense: 'Jyotirliṅga and its subsidiary liṅga'

• māhātmya-varṇanam: the description of the glory
• māhātmya-varṇanam: Vishaya (विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māhātmya (माहात्म्य) + varṇana (वर्णन)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1/प्रथमा), Singular; chapter-topic noun

• nāma: named
• nāma: Naming marker (नाम-प्रयोग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nāma (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle meaning 'named/called' (नाम-निपात)

• prathamaḥ: first
• prathamaḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prathama (प्रथम प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; ordinal adjective

• adhyāyaḥ: chapter
• adhyāyaḥ: Karta/Topic (कर्ता/विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adhyāya (अध्याय प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Colophon/heading indicating the Koṭirudra-saṃhitā’s first chapter topic: the māhātmya of the Jyotirliṅga and its associated subsidiary liṅga (tadupaliṅga).

Significance: Signals a shift into sthala-māhātmya mode: the text will map sacred geography and ritual merit around Jyotirliṅga sites and their attendant liṅgas.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Jyotirlinga

FAQs

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

This is a chapter-colophon style verse that formally opens the Kotirudra Saṃhitā’s first chapter, signaling a shift to the Jyotirliṅga-mahātmya theme—Śiva’s grace made accessible through sacred presence, devotion, and pilgrimage-oriented remembrance.

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

By naming the Jyotirliṅga, the text points to Saguna worship—Śiva approached through the liṅga as a sanctified focus—while implying the deeper truth that the ‘light’ (jyotis) signifies Śiva’s transcendent reality beyond form.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The verse itself is a heading, but it frames practices associated with Jyotirliṅga devotion: liṅga-arcana with mantra (especially pañcākṣarī), pilgrimage (tīrtha-yātrā), and contemplative remembrance of Śiva as the inner light (jyotis).