Shloka 35
Ghuśmeśa-jyotirliṅga-māhātmya
The Greatness of the Ghuśmeśa Jyotirlinga
सूत उवाच । तदैव प्रथितो वै स ब्रह्मणश्शैवसत्तमः । उवाच स्वप्रियां तां च सुदेहां धर्म तत्परः
sūta uvāca | tadaiva prathito vai sa brahmaṇaśśaivasattamaḥ | uvāca svapriyāṃ tāṃ ca sudehāṃ dharma tatparaḥ
สูตกล่าวว่า ในกาลนั้นเอง พระพรหมผู้เลื่องชื่อ ผู้เป็นยอดแห่งศैวภักตะและตั้งมั่นในธรรม ได้กล่าวกับสุเทหาผู้เป็นที่รักของตน
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Sadāśiva
Jyotirlinga: Ghṛṣṇeśvara
Sthala Purana: By calling Brahmā ‘śaivasattama’, the text subordinates creator-god authority to Śiva-bhakti; this anticipates the jyotirliṅga theology where Śiva as Sadāśiva (pati) grants anugraha that even Brahmā recognizes and mediates within the narrative.
Significance: The māhātmya presents the highest ‘status’ (even Brahmā) as perfected by devotion to Śiva; pilgrims are encouraged to approach the Jyotirliṅga with humility and dharma-aligned intent to receive grace.
FAQs
It establishes Brahmā as an exemplary Śaiva—one whose authority comes from dharma aligned with devotion to Śiva—showing that right conduct and Śiva-bhakti together form the foundation for sacred instruction.
By calling Brahmā the foremost Śaiva, the text frames the coming narration as grounded in reverence for Śiva’s accessible, worship-worthy form (Saguna)—commonly approached through Liṅga worship in the Kotirudra tradition.
The implied takeaway is dharma-supported Śiva-bhakti: maintain purity of conduct and steady remembrance of Śiva (japa of the Pañcākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), which prepares one for fruitful pilgrimage and Liṅga worship.