Shloka 45

द्वादशज्योतिर्लिङ्गावतारकथनम्

Account of the Twelve Jyotirliṅga Manifestations

Devanagari script

तद्दृष्ट्वा शिवलिंगन्तु मुने नागेश्वराभिधम् । विनश्यन्ति द्रुतं चार्च्य महापातकराशयः

Transliteration

taddṛṣṭvā śivaliṃgantu mune nāgeśvarābhidham | vinaśyanti drutaṃ cārcya mahāpātakarāśayaḥ

Translation

ఓ మునీ! ‘నాగేశ్వర’ అనే శివలింగాన్ని దర్శించి ఆరాధిస్తే మహాపాతకాల సమూహాలు త్వరగా నశిస్తాయి।

Word by Word

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म/Object of gerund)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; निर्देशक सर्वनाम

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Kriya (क्रिया/पूर्वकर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—क्त्वा (Absolutive/Gerund)

• शिव-लिङ्गम्: Śiva-liṅga
• शिव-लिङ्गम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव + लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (शिवस्य लिङ्गम्)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण/विरोध (particle: but/indeed)

• मुने: O sage
• मुने: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

• नागेश्वर-अभिधम्: named Nāgeśvara
• नागेश्वर-अभिधम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नागेश्वर + अभिध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (नागेश्वर इति अभिधा यस्य)

• विनश्यन्ति: perish/are destroyed
• विनश्यन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया/Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि+नश् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद; प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन

• द्रुतम्: quickly
• द्रुतम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: द्रुतम् (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक-नपुंसक)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• अर्च्य: having worshipped
• अर्च्य: Kriya (क्रिया/पूर्वकर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—ल्यप्/य (Gerundive/absolutive-like) ‘अर्च्य’ = अर्चित्वा/अर्चनात्; here used as ‘having worshipped’ (contextual)

• महापातक-राशयः: heaps of great sins
• महापातक-राशयः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महापातक + राशि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (महापातकानां राशयः)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya, inferred typical Shiva Purana frame)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Nāgeśvara

Sthala Purana: The Nāgeśvara Jyotirliṅga is praised as a sin-destroying manifestation: mere darśana (seeing) and arcana (worship) rapidly annihilate even mahāpātaka-accumulations, reflecting Śiva’s special grace at this kṣetra.

Significance: Darśana + pūjā at Nāgeśvara is said to destroy ‘heaps of great sins’ swiftly—an explicit tīrtha-phala statement emphasizing anugraha.

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: oṃ namaḥ śivāya

Type: panchakshara

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Nāgeśvara (Shiva Linga/Jyotirlinga)

FAQs

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

The verse teaches that darśana (reverent beholding) and arcana (worship) of the Nāgeśvara Śiva-liṅga has powerful purificatory merit, capable of destroying even accumulated major sins—highlighting Śiva’s grace responding to sincere bhakti.

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

It presents the Liṅga as Saguna Śiva’s accessible form for devotees: by approaching Śiva through the consecrated emblem (Liṅga) with faith and worship, one receives cleansing and upliftment, moving toward liberation under Śiva’s lordship (Pati).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform Liṅga-darśana and Liṅga-arcana—offer water, bilva leaves, and recite Śiva mantras such as the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with a repentant, devotional mind for inner purification.