Shloka 36

Vaiśyanātha-avatāra-kathā

The Account of Śiva’s Manifestation as Vaiśyanātha

Devanagari script

दृष्ट्वा ह्यात्मसमं लिंगं दग्धं वैश्यपतिस्तदा । ज्ञातुन्तद्भावमन्तःस्थम्मरणाय मतिन्दधे

Transliteration

dṛṣṭvā hyātmasamaṃ liṃgaṃ dagdhaṃ vaiśyapatistadā | jñātuntadbhāvamantaḥsthammaraṇāya matindadhe

Translation

తన ఆత్మసమానమైన శివలింగం దగ్ధమైనదని చూసి, వైశ్యపతి అంతఃస్థిత తత్త్వార్థాన్ని తెలుసుకోవాలనే తపనతో మరణానికి మనస్సు పెట్టాడు।

Word by Word

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: पूर्वकाल (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund), धातु: दृश्

• हि: indeed
• हि: सम्बन्ध (particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), हेत्वर्थ/निश्चयार्थ (indeed/for)

• आत्म-समम्: equal to himself
• आत्म-समम्: विशेषण (to लिङ्गम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + सम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘आत्मनः समम्’ (equal to himself)

• लिङ्गम्: liṅga/sign
• लिङ्गम्: कर्म (object of ‘seeing’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• दग्धम्: burnt
• दग्धम्: विशेषण (to लिङ्गम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दह् (धातु) → दग्ध (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (burnt)

• वैश्य-पतिः: the vaiśya (husband/master)
• वैश्य-पतिः: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैश्य (प्रातिपदिक) + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘वैश्यस्य पतिः’ (the vaiśya-husband/master)

• तदा: then
• तदा: अधिकरण (time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (then/at that time)

• ज्ञातुम्: to know
• ज्ञातुम्: प्रयोजन (purpose)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (Infinitive), धातु: ज्ञा; ‘to know’

• तत्-भावम्: that state/nature
• तत्-भावम्: कर्म (object of ‘to know’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + भाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘तस्य भावः’ (its state/nature)

• अन्तःस्थम्: situated within/inner
• अन्तःस्थम्: विशेषण (to तत्-भावम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्तः (अव्यय/उपसर्गवत्) + स्थ (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; अव्ययीभाव: ‘अन्तः स्थितम्’ (situated within)

• मरणाय: for death
• मरणाय: सम्प्रदान (Dative/purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• मतिम्: intention/mind
• मतिम्: कर्म (object of ‘placed/formed’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• दधे: he resolved/placed
• दधे: क्रिया (मुख्य क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धा (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; धातु: धा ‘to place/assume’

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakshinamurti

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: The verse pivots from external loss to inner inquiry: the liṅga is ‘ātmasama’ and ‘antaḥstha’—a didactic move toward recognizing Śiva as the indwelling reality beyond the damaged emblem.

Significance: Frames pilgrimage as inner turning (antar-yātrā): the true ‘liṅga’ is the sign of the Self; devotion matures into jñāna-bhakti.

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Linga

FAQs

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

The verse frames the Liṅga as “ātma-sama”—not merely an outer icon but a doorway to the inner Śiva-presence; the devotee’s shock becomes an intense resolve to grasp the indwelling truth (antaḥstha-bhāva) that liberates.

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

It shows Saguna worship (the visible Liṅga) pointing beyond itself: even when the physical form is harmed, the devotee seeks the imperishable inner reality that the Liṅga signifies—Śiva as Pati, the inmost Lord.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is inward contemplation during Liṅga-pūjā: after offering (water, bilva, bhasma), meditate on Śiva as residing within (antaḥstha), repeating the Panchakshara—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—to turn grief or shock into focused surrender.