Shloka 12
ज्योतिर्लिङ्ग-तदुपलिङ्ग-माहात्म्यवर्णनम्
Narration of the Greatness of the Jyotirliṅga and Associated Liṅgas
तथापि श्रूयताम्प्रीत्या कथयामि यथाश्रुतम् । लिंगानि च ऋषिश्रेष्ठाः पृथिव्यां यानि तानि ह
tathāpi śrūyatāmprītyā kathayāmi yathāśrutam | liṃgāni ca ṛṣiśreṣṭhāḥ pṛthivyāṃ yāni tāni ha
എങ്കിലും ഭക്തിപ്രീതിയോടെ ശ്രവിക്കുവിൻ; ഞാൻ കേട്ടതുപോലെ തന്നേ പറയുന്നു. ഹേ ഋഷിശ്രേഷ്ഠന്മാരേ, ഭൂമിയിൽ ഉള്ള പവിത്ര ശിവലിംഗങ്ങളെ ഞാൻ വിവరిచ്ചുപറയുന്നു.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Sadāśiva
Sthala Purana: Programmatic opening to a liṅga-catalogue: Sūta signals a traditional (śruti/smṛti-anusāra) recounting of terrestrial Śiva-liṅgas, preparing the ground for later sthala-narratives (manifestations, installations, and merits).
Significance: Śravaṇa (devotional listening) to liṅga-māhātmya is framed as a bhakti-sādhana that ripens faith and motivates tīrtha-yātrā and liṅga-sevā.
FAQs
The verse establishes a lineage of sacred transmission (“as I have heard”) and frames the teaching as bhakti-filled listening (śravaṇa). In Shaiva understanding, devoted hearing and remembering of Śiva’s liṅga-manifestations purifies the bound soul (paśu) and orients it toward Śiva (Pati), preparing the mind for grace.
By announcing the narration of the liṅgas on earth, it points to Saguna worship—Śiva approached through an accessible, consecrated form (liṅga) that serves as a doorway to realizing His transcendence (Nirguna). The Kotirudra context especially leads into the Jyotirlinga tradition and pilgrimage devotion.
The immediate practice is attentive devotional listening (śravaṇa) to liṅga-māhātmya; as a takeaway, one may pair it with daily liṅga-pūjā, japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), and simple offerings (water, bilva) with a focused, reverent mind.