Shloka 49
ज्योतिर्लिङ्गमाहात्म्य-प्रस्तावना तथा सोमनाथ-प्रसङ्गः
Prologue to the Glory and Origin of the Jyotirliṅgas; Somnātha Episode Begins
सूत उवाच । ततश्चन्द्रेण सद्भक्त्या संस्तुतश्शंकरः पुरा । निराकारश्च साकारः पुनश्चैवाभवत्प्रभुः
sūta uvāca | tataścandreṇa sadbhaktyā saṃstutaśśaṃkaraḥ purā | nirākāraśca sākāraḥ punaścaivābhavatprabhuḥ
സൂതൻ പറഞ്ഞു—പുരാതനകാലത്ത് ചന്ദ്രൻ സത്യഭക്തിയോടെ ശങ്കരനെ സ്തുതിച്ചപ്പോൾ, നിരാകാരനായ പ്രഭു വീണ്ടും സാകാരരൂപത്തിൽ പ്രത്യക്ഷനായി.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Sadāśiva
Jyotirlinga: Somanātha
Sthala Purana: Candra (the Moon), afflicted and seeking refuge, praises Śaṅkara with true devotion; the formless Lord (nirākāra) graciously becomes manifest (sākāra) to be worshipped—grounding the Someshvara/Jyotirliṅga presence in the kṣetra.
Significance: Affirms the doctrine that the transcendent Lord accepts immanent form for devotees; pilgrimage yields tangible access to grace through arcā/liṅga worship.
FAQs
It teaches that sincere bhakti draws the grace of Pati (Śiva), who transcends attributes yet freely reveals Himself for the upliftment of devotees—showing the harmony of the transcendent and the accessible Lord.
Though Śiva is nirākāra (beyond form), He becomes sākāra for devotion—supporting saguna worship such as the Śiva-liṅga, where the formless is reverently approached through a sanctified form.
Offer heartfelt stuti (hymns) and japa with steady devotion—especially the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—as the key inner practice that invites Śiva’s revealing grace.