Shloka 15

महाकालज्योतिर्लिङ्गमाहात्म्ये चन्द्रसेन-चिन्तामणि-प्रसङ्गः

Mahākāla Jyotirliṅga Māhātmya: The Episode of King Candrasena and the Cintāmaṇi

Devanagari script

संरुध्यमानां स्वपुरीं दृष्ट्वा निखिल राजभिः । तमेव शरणं राजा महाकालेश्वरं ययौ

Transliteration

saṃrudhyamānāṃ svapurīṃ dṛṣṭvā nikhila rājabhiḥ | tameva śaraṇaṃ rājā mahākāleśvaraṃ yayau

Translation

सर्व राजांनी आपली नगरी वेढलेली पाहून राजा केवळ महाकालेश्वरालाच शरण गेला आणि रक्षणासाठी त्यांच्याकडे धावला।

Word by Word

• संरुध्यमानाम्: being besieged
• संरुध्यमानाम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण of ‘स्वपुरीम्’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-रुध् (धातु) + शानच् (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कर्मणि कृदन्तः (present passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्गे द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचनम्; ‘being besieged’

• स्व-पुरीम्: his own city
• स्व-पुरीम्: Karma (कर्म/Object of ‘दृष्ट्वा’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + पुरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारयः: ‘स्वा पुरी’; स्त्रीलिङ्गे द्वितीया, एकवचनम्

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Kriyā (क्रिया; पूर्वकालिक)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय-भावः (gerund/absolutive), ‘having seen’

• निखिलैः: by all
• निखिलैः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण of ‘राजभिः’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निखिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• राजभिः: by kings
• राजभिः: Kartr̥ (कर्ता/Agent in passive sense)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया (Instrumental), बहुवचनम्

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (कर्म/Object of ‘ययौ’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचनम्

• एव: alone/indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-निपात (restrictive particle)

• शरणम्: as refuge
• शरणम्: Gati/Karma (गति/कर्म; destination complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; गत्यर्थे द्वितीया (as goal)

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा, एकवचनम्

• महाकालेश्वरम्: Mahākāleśvara (Lord of Mahākāla)
• महाकालेश्वरम्: Karma (कर्म/Object; apposition to ‘तम्’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाकाल (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: ‘महाकालस्य ईश्वरः’; पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया, एकवचनम्

• ययौ: went
• ययौ: Kriyā (क्रिया/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahākāla

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Mahākāleśvara

Sthala Purana: Candrasena, seeing Ujjayinī besieged, seeks exclusive refuge (śaraṇam) in Mahākāleśvara. This surrender is the narrative hinge that culminates in Śiva’s protective manifestation at Avanti (Ujjain).

Significance: Models śaraṇāgati: taking Mahākāla as the sole protector in crisis; associated with fearlessness before Time (kāla) and the granting of Śiva’s grace.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Mahakaleshvara

FAQs

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

The verse teaches śaraṇāgati—when worldly power and alliances collapse, the devotee turns to Pati (Śiva) as the sole refuge; this reliance on Mahākāleśvara points to grace as the decisive protector beyond human strength.

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

Mahākāleśvara is approached as Saguna Śiva manifest as a Jyotirliṅga—accessible for devotion and protection—showing that the Lord’s tangible form becomes the devotee’s shelter while still pointing to His transcendent lordship over Kāla (Time).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to approach the Jyotirliṅga with bhakti, recite the Pañcākṣarī mantra ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya"), and pray for protection and inner steadiness—treating Śiva as the primary refuge rather than fear-driven dependence on external forces.