Shloka 24

Gautama–Ahalyā-Upākhyāna: Durbhikṣa, Tapas, and Varuṇa’s Boon (गौतमाहल्योपाख्यानम्)

Devanagari script

इति श्रीशिवमहापुराणे चतुर्थ्यां कोटिरुद्रसं हितायां त्र्यंबकेश्वरमाहात्म्ये गौतमप्रभाववर्णनं नाम चतुर्विशोऽध्यायः

Transliteration

iti śrīśivamahāpurāṇe caturthyāṃ koṭirudrasaṃ hitāyāṃ tryaṃbakeśvaramāhātmye gautamaprabhāvavarṇanaṃ nāma caturviśo'dhyāyaḥ

Translation

ดังนี้ ในศรีศิวมหาปุราณะ ภาคที่สี่ โกฏิรุทรสังหิตา ในตอนมหาตมยะของพระไตรยัมพเกศวร บทที่ยี่สิบสี่ชื่อว่า “พรรณนาพลังและมหิทธิคุณของโคตมะ” ได้สิ้นสุดลงแล้ว

Word by Word

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotative marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), quotative particle (इति-वाचक)

• śrī-śiva-mahā-purāṇe: in the Śrī Śiva Mahāpurāṇa
• śrī-śiva-mahā-purāṇe: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī (प्रातिपदिक) + śiva (प्रातिपदिक) + mahā (प्रातिपदिक/उपसर्गवत्) + purāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; समास: तत्पुरुष (श्रीशिवस्य महापुराणम्)

• caturthyām: in the fourth
• caturthyām: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: caturthī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; ordinal adjective agreeing with ‘saṃhitāyām’ (understood)

• koṭi-rudra-saṃhitāyām: in the Koṭirudra-saṃhitā
• koṭi-rudra-saṃhitāyām: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: koṭi (प्रातिपदिक) + rudra (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃhitā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; समास: तत्पुरुष (कोटिरुद्राणां संहिता)

• tryaṃbaka-īśvara-māhātmye: in the Māhātmya of Tryambakeśvara
• tryaṃbaka-īśvara-māhātmye: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tryaṃbaka (प्रातिपदिक) + īśvara (प्रातिपदिक) + māhātmya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; समास: तत्पुरुष (त्र्यम्बकेश्वरस्य माहात्म्यम्)

• gautama-prabhāva-varṇanam: (the section called) ‘Description of Gautama’s greatness’
• gautama-prabhāva-varṇanam: Karta (कर्ता/heading-title)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gautama (प्रातिपदिक) + prabhāva (प्रातिपदिक) + varṇana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; समास: तत्पुरुष (गौतमस्य प्रभावस्य वर्णनम्)

• nāma: named
• nāma: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/name-marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nāma (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), nomen-indicator particle (नाम-शब्दः)

• caturviśaḥ: twenty-fourth
• caturviśaḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: caturviṃśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; ordinal adjective qualifying ‘adhyāyaḥ’

• adhyāyaḥ: chapter
• adhyāyaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adhyāya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrative colophon concluding the chapter as recited to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Tryambakeśvara

Sthala Purana: This is the chapter-colophon concluding the Tryambakeśvara-māhātmya chapter on Gautama’s prabhāva; it situates the narrative within the Koṭirudrasaṃhitā and explicitly names the kṣetra (Tryambakeśvara).

Significance: Functions as textual ‘tīrtha-pramāṇa’: anchoring the māhātmya to the Jyotirliṅga site, supporting śravaṇa/pāṭha as a meritorious act connected to pilgrimage.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Tryambakeshvara
• Gautama

FAQs

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

This is the chapter-colophon marking the completion of Adhyaya 24 in the Tryambakeśvara Māhātmya, emphasizing that the narrative is meant to preserve and transmit the sanctifying greatness (prabhāva) of Gautama in relation to Shiva’s sacred abode and grace.

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

By placing the account within the Tryambakeśvara Māhātmya of the Koṭirudra Saṃhitā, it frames Shiva as Saguna—worshipped as the Jyotirlinga Tryambakeśvara—whose tangible presence at the tirtha becomes a direct means for devotees to receive purification and spiritual uplift.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

As a māhātmya-colophon, it implicitly points to tirtha-yātrā and Jyotirlinga worship at Tryambakeśvara—approaching Shiva with bhakti, recitation/hearing of the Purāṇa, and disciplined purity as the practical takeaway.