Shloka 43

ज्योतिर्लिङ्गमाहात्म्य-प्रस्तावना तथा सोमनाथ-प्रसङ्गः

Prologue to the Glory and Origin of the Jyotirliṅgas; Somnātha Episode Begins

Devanagari script

चंद्र उवाच । यदि प्रसन्नो देवेश किमसाध्यं भवेन्मम । तथापि मे शरीरस्य क्षयं वारय शंकर

Transliteration

caṃdra uvāca | yadi prasanno deveśa kimasādhyaṃ bhavenmama | tathāpi me śarīrasya kṣayaṃ vāraya śaṃkara

Translation

พระจันทร์กล่าวว่า: ข้าแต่พระผู้เป็นเจ้าแห่งทวยเทพ หากพระองค์ทรงพอพระทัยในตัวข้าพเจ้าแล้ว สิ่งใดเล่าจะยากเกินกว่าที่ข้าพเจ้าจะบรรลุได้? ถึงกระนั้น ข้าแต่พระศังกร โปรดทรงยับยั้งการเสื่อมสลายแห่งร่างกายของข้าพเจ้าด้วยเถิด

Word by Word

• caṃdraḥ: Candra (the Moon)
• caṃdraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: caṃdra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• yadi: if
• yadi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadi (अव्यय)
• Form: Conditional particle/conjunction (शर्तार्थक अव्यय)

• prasannaḥ: pleased/gracious
• prasannaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prasanna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); predicate adjective to ‘deveśa’ (understood ‘tvam’)

• deveśa: O Lord of the gods
• deveśa: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक) + īśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular (एकवचन); ‘lord of gods’

• kim: what
• kim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Singular (एकवचन); interrogative pronoun

• asādhyam: impossible
• asādhyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a- (नञ्) + sādhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Singular (एकवचन); predicate with ‘kim’

• bhavet: could be/would be
• bhavet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• mama: for me/of me
• mama: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन); pronoun

• tathāpi: even so/nevertheless
• tathāpi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय) + api (अव्यय)
• Form: Concessive particle (अपि-युक्त अव्यय)

• me: my/for me
• me: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Genitive/Dative (6th/4th), Singular (एकवचन); pronoun (here: ‘of mine’/‘for me’)

• śarīrasya: of (my) body
• śarīrasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śarīra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• kṣayam: decay/destruction
• kṣayam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• vāraya: prevent/stop
• vāraya: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vṛ (धातु) [causative: vārayati]
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 2nd person (मध्यमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); causative (णिच्)

• śaṃkara: O Śaṅkara
• śaṃkara: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaṃkara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

Candra (Moon-god)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahadeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Somanātha

Sthala Purana: Candra, afflicted by kṣaya (wasting/waning) due to a curse, seeks Śiva’s grace; Śiva restores him by instituting the cyclic waxing and waning, and the Lord becomes renowned as Soma-nātha (Lord of Soma/Moon).

Significance: Removes kṣaya-roga and mental afflictions; grants ārogya, steadiness of mind, and Śiva’s anugraha through surrender.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Lunar affliction (kṣaya) prompting divine intervention; etiological setup for the moon’s cyclic phases.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Chandra

FAQs

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

The verse highlights śaraṇāgati (surrender): even when Shiva’s grace can make the “impossible” possible, the devotee humbly asks for the removal of a specific bondage—here, bodily decline—showing reliance on Pati (Śiva) as the compassionate protector.

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

Candra directly appeals to Śaṅkara as Deveśa, emphasizing Saguna Shiva—approachable, responsive, and gracious. In Kotirudra narratives tied to Jyotirliṅga traditions, such prayers exemplify how devotees seek tangible relief through Shiva’s manifest presence and blessing.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is regular Shiva-upāsanā with the Pañcākṣarī mantra (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and prayer for kṣaya-nivṛtti (cessation of decline), ideally supported by simple linga-abhisheka and devotion-centered japa.