Shloka 20

ज्योतिर्लिङ्ग-तदुपलिङ्ग-माहात्म्यवर्णनम्

Narration of the Greatness of the Jyotirliṅga and Associated Liṅgas

Devanagari script

ज्योतिर्लिंगानि यानीह मुख्यमुख्यानि सत्तम । तान्यहं कथयाम्यद्य श्रुत्वा पापं व्यपोहति

Transliteration

jyotirliṃgāni yānīha mukhyamukhyāni sattama | tānyahaṃ kathayāmyadya śrutvā pāpaṃ vyapohati

Translation

ดูก่อนท่านผู้ประเสริฐในหมู่สัตบุรุษ วันนี้เราจักเล่าถึงจโยติรลึงค์อันเป็นยอดยิ่งในบรรดายอดยิ่งทั้งหลาย; เมื่อได้สดับแล้ว บาปย่อมถูกขจัดไป

Word by Word

• ज्योतिः-लिङ्गानि: the Jyotirliṅgas
• ज्योतिः-लिङ्गानि: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्योतिः (प्रातिपदिक) + लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (ज्योतिषां लिङ्गानि)

• यानि: which
• यानि: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक सर्वनाम

• इह: here
• इह: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb)

• मुख्य-मुख्यानि: the foremost (chief among chiefs)
• मुख्य-मुख्यानि: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुख्य (प्रातिपदिक) + मुख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (अत्यन्तमुख्यानि)

• सत्तम: O best of the good
• सत्तम: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; संबोधन-प्रयोग

• तानि: those
• तानि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/स्त्री (उभयलिङ्ग-प्रयोग), प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• कथयामि: tell / narrate
• कथयामि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथय् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/वर्तमान), प्रथमगण-प्रयोजक/णिजन्त-प्रयोग; उत्तमपुरुष (1st person/उत्तम), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अद्य: today / now
• अद्य: Kala-adhikarana (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अद्य (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (temporal adverb)

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having heard)

• पापम्: sin
• पापम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• व्यपोहति: removes / dispels
• व्यपोहति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अप-हृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person/प्रथम), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; उपसर्गः वि+अप (व्य)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Formal announcement of the Jyotirliṅga catalogue: ‘foremost among the foremost’ luminous liṅgas whose narration itself dispels sin—prelude to naming the twelve.

Significance: Śravaṇa of Jyotirliṅga-nāma and māhātmya is treated as a merit-generating act; pilgrimage to these kṣetras is implied as a superior means of pāpa-kṣaya and Śiva-prasāda.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Ritual Elements

Offering: dipa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Jyotirlinga

FAQs

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

It teaches that śravaṇa (devotional hearing) of the foremost Jyotirlinga glories purifies the mind and burns pāpa, turning the seeker toward Śiva as Pati (the liberating Lord) and supporting the path to moksha.

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

The Jyotirlinga is a saguna focus through which devotees approach the transcendent Śiva; the verse frames the Jyotirlingas as especially potent manifestations whose remembrance and hearing awaken bhakti and remove impurities.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Regularly listen to or recite Jyotirlinga māhātmya with devotion (śravaṇa–kīrtana), ideally alongside simple Śiva-upāsanā such as japa of “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” and respectful linga-darśana when possible.