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Shloka 1

Śivakṣetra–Tīrtha–Māhātmya

The Salvific Function of Shiva’s Sacred Domains

Devanagari script

सूत उवाच । शृणुध्वमृषयः प्राज्ञाः शिवक्षेत्रं विमुक्तिदम् । तदागमांस्ततो वक्ष्ये लोकरक्षार्थमेव हि

Transliteration

sūta uvāca | śṛṇudhvamṛṣayaḥ prājñāḥ śivakṣetraṃ vimuktidam | tadāgamāṃstato vakṣye lokarakṣārthameva hi

Translation

സൂതൻ പറഞ്ഞു—ഹേ പ്രാജ്ഞരായ ഋഷിമാരേ, വിമുക്തി നൽകുന്ന ശിവക്ഷേത്രത്തെ ശ്രവിക്കൂ. അതിനാൽ അതിന്റെ ആഗമപരമ്പരകൾ ലോകരക്ഷാർത്ഥം തന്നെയായി ഞാൻ ഇപ്പോൾ പ്രസ്താവിക്കും।

Word by Word
सूतSūta
सूत:
कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootसूत (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन
उवाचsaid
उवाच:
क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
TypeVerb
Root√वच् (धातु)
Formलिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद
शृणुध्वम्listen (all of you)
शृणुध्वम्:
क्रिया (Kriyā/Command)
TypeVerb
Root√श्रु (धातु)
Formलोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद
ऋषयःO sages
ऋषयः:
सम्बोधन (Address)
TypeNoun
Rootऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), बहुवचन
प्राज्ञाःwise
प्राज्ञाः:
सम्बोधन (Address; qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootप्राज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), बहुवचन; विशेषण of ‘ऋषयः’
शिव-क्षेत्रम्Śiva’s sacred place
शिव-क्षेत्रम्:
कर्म (Karma/Object; topic to be described)
TypeNoun
Rootशिव (प्रातिपदिक) + क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (‘शिवस्य क्षेत्रम्’)
विमुक्ति-दम्granting liberation
विमुक्ति-दम्:
विशेषण (Qualifier of ‘शिवक्षेत्रम्’)
TypeAdjective
Rootविमुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + द (कृदन्त; √दा धातु, ‘giver’)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष (‘विमुक्तिं ददाति’); कृदन्त: ‘द’ (giver)
तत्-आगमान्those Āgamas
तत्-आगमान्:
कर्म (Karma/Object of ‘वक्ष्ये’)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम; प्रातिपदिक) + आगम (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; ‘those Āgamas’
ततःthen, thereafter
ततः:
सम्बन्ध/क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootततः (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण/adverb (‘then/thereafter’)
वक्ष्येI shall tell
वक्ष्ये:
क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
TypeVerb
Root√वच् (धातु)
Formलृट् (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद
लोक-रक्षा-अर्थम्for the protection of the world
लोक-रक्षा-अर्थम्:
प्रयोजन (Purpose/अर्थ)
TypeNoun
Rootलोक (प्रातिपदिक) + रक्षा (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (‘लोकस्य रक्षायाः अर्थः’ = for the purpose of protecting the world)
एवindeed
एव:
सम्बन्ध/वाक्यालङ्कार (Emphasis)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; अवधारण/particle (indeed/only)
हिfor, indeed
हि:
सम्बन्ध/वाक्यालङ्कार (Causal particle)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootहि (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; हेत्वर्थ/particle (for/because/indeed)
Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Introduces Śiva-kṣetra as ‘vimuktidam’ (liberation-giving). This is a generic kṣetra-mahātmyā framing rather than a single jyotirliṅga legend.

Significance: Hearing and following kṣetra-āgamas is presented as lokarakṣā (world-sustaining dharma) and as a mokṣa-oriented discipline—aligning pilgrimage with soteriology, not mere merit.

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities
S
Shiva

FAQs

It introduces Śiva-kṣetra as a direct means toward vimukti (liberation), framing pilgrimage and sacred-space devotion as a Shaiva path where grace (Śiva’s anugraha) removes bondage.

A Śiva-kṣetra is typically centered on Saguna worship—especially the Śiva-liṅga—where disciplined observance (āgama) and devotion make the sacred presence tangible and spiritually transformative.

The verse points to following āgamic observances in a Śiva-kṣetra—such as liṅga-pūjā with mantra (notably the Panchākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), along with purity disciplines and devotional listening (śravaṇa) to Śiva’s glories.

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