Shloka 1

Bhaimaśaṅkara-māhātmya: Śiva’s Descent in Kāmarūpa and the Rise of Bhīma

Devanagari script

सूत उवाच । अतः परं प्रवक्ष्यामि माहात्म्यं भैमशंकरम् । यस्य श्रवणमात्रेण सर्वाभीष्टं लभेन्नरः

Transliteration

sūta uvāca | ataḥ paraṃ pravakṣyāmi māhātmyaṃ bhaimaśaṃkaram | yasya śravaṇamātreṇa sarvābhīṣṭaṃ labhennaraḥ

Translation

സൂതൻ പറഞ്ഞു—ഇനി ഞാൻ ഭീമശങ്കരന്റെ മഹാത്മ്യം പ്രസ്താവിക്കുന്നു. ഇത് കേൾക്കുന്നതുമാത്രം മനുഷ്യന് എല്ലാ അഭീഷ്ടഫലങ്ങളും ലഭിക്കും.

Word by Word

• सूतः: Sūta
• सूतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अतः: thereafter/therefore
• अतः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थ/अनन्तरार्थ (therefore/thereafter)

• परम्: further/next
• परम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; प्रवक्ष्यामि इत्यस्य कर्म—'further (topic)'

• प्रवक्ष्यामि: I shall explain
• प्रवक्ष्यामि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वच् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• माहात्म्यम्: greatness/glory
• माहात्म्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माहात्म्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• भैमशंकरम्: of Bhaima-Śaṅkara
• भैमशंकरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भैमशंकर (प्रातिपदिक: भैम + शंकर)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; माहात्म्यम् इत्यस्य विशेषण; समासः—भैमः शंकरः (descriptive)

• यस्य: whose/of which
• यस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative)

• श्रवणमात्रेण: by mere hearing
• श्रवणमात्रेण: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रवणमात्र (प्रातिपदिक: श्रवण + मात्र)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; समासः—श्रवणस्य मात्रम् (genitive tatpuruṣa)

• सर्वाभीष्टम्: all desired (boons)
• सर्वाभीष्टम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्वाभीष्ट (प्रातिपदिक: सर्व + अभीष्ट)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; लभेत्/लभेन् इत्यस्य कर्म; समासः—सर्वं च तत् अभीष्टम् (descriptive)

• लभेत्: would obtain
• लभेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• नरः: a man/person
• नरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Bhīmaśaṃkara

Sthala Purana: Introductory proclamation of Bhīmaśaṅkara-māhātmya: its mere hearing grants sarvābhīṣṭa, indicating the liṅga’s fame as a direct channel of Śiva’s grace and protection.

Significance: Śravaṇa of the māhātmya and darśana of the Jyotirliṅga are framed as wish-fulfilling and spiritually elevating; in Siddhānta terms, it signals Śiva’s anugraha that loosens pāśa for the paśu.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Bhimaśaṅkara

FAQs

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

It establishes śravaṇa (devout listening) of a Jyotirliṅga-māhātmya as a direct purifier of consciousness, turning the mind toward Pati (Shiva) and thereby granting both worldly aims and the higher aim of liberation.

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

Bhīmaśaṅkara is praised as a Jyotirliṅga—Shiva’s luminous, worship-worthy Saguna manifestation—whose glory, when heard with faith, awakens devotion and draws the listener toward liṅga-upāsanā and Shiva’s grace.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The verse highlights śravaṇa as a practice: listen to (or recite) the Bhīmaśaṅkara Māhātmya with devotion, ideally alongside simple Shiva-bhakti such as mental japa of “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” and remembrance of the Jyotirliṅga.