Shloka 14
द्वादशज्योतिर्लिङ्गावतारकथनम्
Account of the Twelve Jyotirliṅga Manifestations
दूषणाख्यासुरं यस्तु वेदधर्मप्रमर्दकम् । उज्जयिन्यां गतं विप्रद्वेषिणं सर्वनाशनम्
dūṣaṇākhyāsuraṃ yastu vedadharmapramardakam | ujjayinyāṃ gataṃ vipradveṣiṇaṃ sarvanāśanam
ദൂഷണൻ എന്ന അസുരൻ വേദധർമ്മത്തെ ചവിട്ടിമെതിക്കുന്നവൻ; ഉജ്ജയിനിയിലേക്കു പോയ, ബ്രാഹ്മണദ്വേഷിയും സർവ്വനാശകനുമായിരുന്നു।
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pasha
Jyotirlinga: Mahākāleśvara
Sthala Purana: The asura Dūṣaṇa, a violator of Vedic dharma and persecutor of brāhmaṇas, comes to Ujjayinī; his adharmic oppression sets the stage for Śiva’s protective manifestation as Mahākāla.
Significance: Darśana of Mahākāla is framed as restoration of dharma and protection from destructive forces; the narrative establishes the kṣetra as a refuge where Śiva answers devotees’ distress.
FAQs
It frames adharma as the hallmark of asuric nature—especially the crushing of Vedic dharma and hostility toward the wise—setting the stage for Shiva’s role as Pati, the protector who restores order and guides beings back toward right conduct and liberation.
By highlighting the devastation caused by anti-dharma forces, the narrative implicitly points to Saguna Shiva’s protective grace manifested in sacred places like Ujjayinī, where devotees turn to Shiva (often through Linga-worship) for the re-establishment of dharma and inner steadiness.
The takeaway is dharma-protective devotion: steady japa of the Panchākṣarī mantra (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with reverence for sacred learning and the virtuous, supported by simple Shaiva observances like Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and daily worship where appropriate.