ज्योतिर्लिङ्गमाहात्म्य-प्रस्तावना तथा सोमनाथ-प्रसङ्गः
Prologue to the Glory and Origin of the Jyotirliṅgas; Somnātha Episode Begins
हेम्ना चैव मणिर्भाति मणिना हेम चैव हि । एवं च समये तस्य यज्जातं श्रूयतामिति
hemnā caiva maṇirbhāti maṇinā hema caiva hi | evaṃ ca samaye tasya yajjātaṃ śrūyatāmiti
സ്വർണ്ണം കൊണ്ടു മണി ദീപ്തമാകുന്നു; മണി കൊണ്ടു സ്വർണ്ണവും ദീപ്തമാകുന്നു. അതുപോലെ ആ സമയത്ത് സംഭവിച്ചതെന്തെന്നു ശ്രവിക്കുവിൻ.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Sadāśiva
Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga passage; it functions as an upamā (simile) introducing the narrative—mutual illumination like Śiva-Śakti interdependence in manifestation.
Shakti Form: Pārvatī
Role: teaching
It highlights mutual illumination—like gold and a jewel—pointing to how divine grace (Shiva’s shakti) and receptive devotion (the listener’s shraddha) together make sacred truth shine; it also emphasizes śravaṇa (listening) as a primary doorway for bhakti and inner purification.
The verse functions as a narrative bridge: by inviting attentive listening, it prepares the mind for the forthcoming Jyotirlinga/Linga-centered account, where Saguna Shiva becomes experientially ‘radiant’ for the devotee through story, remembrance, and pilgrimage-oriented devotion.
Śravaṇa of Shiva-kathā with focused attention—ideally preceded by simple purity observances (like applying Tripuṇḍra/bhasma and mentally repeating the Pañcākṣarī, ‘Om Namaḥ Śivāya’)—so the teaching is received as sādhana, not mere information.