Shloka 35

महाकालज्योतिर्लिङ्गमाहात्म्ये चन्द्रसेन-चिन्तामणि-प्रसङ्गः

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

Devanagari script

तन्मध्ये रत्नलिंगं हि शंकरस्य कृपानिधे । स्वकृतार्चनसंयुक्तमपश्यद्गोपिकासुतः

Transliteration

tanmadhye ratnaliṃgaṃ hi śaṃkarasya kṛpānidhe | svakṛtārcanasaṃyuktamapaśyadgopikāsutaḥ

Translation

ท่ามกลางนั้น โอขุมทรัพย์แห่งพระกรุณาของพระศังกร เด็กผู้เป็นบุตรของหญิงเลี้ยงโคได้เห็นลึงค์อันเป็นรัตนะของพระศังกร—ซึ่งประกอบพร้อมด้วยการบูชาที่เขาได้กระทำด้วยตนเองแล้ว।

Word by Word

• तत्-मध्ये: in the midst of that
• तत्-मध्ये: देशाधिकरण (Place adjunct)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास (तस्मिन् मध्ये = ‘in the midst of that’), सप्तमी-अर्थे अव्ययवत् (locative sense)

• रत्न-लिङ्गम्: a jewel liṅga
• रत्न-लिङ्गम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रत्न (प्रातिपदिक) + लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (रत्नस्य लिङ्गम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• हि: indeed
• हि: अवधारण/हेतु (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; emphasis/causal nuance)

• शंकरस्य: of Śaṅkara
• शंकरस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (Singular)

• कृपा-निधे: O treasure of compassion
• कृपा-निधे: सम्बोधन (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृपा (प्रातिपदिक) + निधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (कृपायाः निधिः), सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular), पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine)

• स्व-कृत-अर्चन-संयुक्तम्: joined with worship performed by himself
• स्व-कृत-अर्चन-संयुक्तम्: विशेषण (Adjectival to Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + कृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √कृ) + अर्चन (प्रातिपदिक) + संयुक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; सम्-√युज्)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (स्वकृतं अर्चनं तेन संयुक्तम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण to रत्नलिङ्गम्

• अपश्यत्: saw
• अपश्यत्: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पश्/दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• गोपिका-सुतः: the son of the gopī
• गोपिका-सुतः: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोपिका (प्रातिपदिक) + सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (गोपिकायाः सुतः), पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Mahākāleśvara

Sthala Purana: At the heart of the manifested precinct stands a ratna-liṅga: the Lord’s presence condensed into the liṅga, encountered as the culmination of the devotee’s own arcana—signaling Siddhānta’s emphasis that ritual effort becomes fruitful only when met by Śiva’s grace (anugraha).

Significance: Liṅga-darśana and arcana are held to burn impurities (mala), loosen pāśa, and orient the paśu toward pati through devotion and surrender.

Mantra Metadata

Type: panchakshara

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Shankara
• Linga

FAQs

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

The verse highlights that Śiva’s grace is revealed through the Liṅga, and that sincere personal worship (svakṛta-arcana) becomes spiritually “present” and efficacious—showing the Shaiva Siddhanta emphasis on devotion joined to divine compassion (anugraha).

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

The jewel Liṅga represents Saguna Śiva—Śiva approachable through form for worship—while still pointing to the transcendent Pati beyond form. Seeing the Liṅga “with one’s own worship” underscores that archana is a direct means to connect with Śiva’s presence.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform Liṅga-archana with offered water, bilva leaves, and mantra-japa—especially the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya)—with the attitude that one’s worship is united to Śiva’s grace and becomes a means toward purification and liberation.