Shloka 2

Devanagari script

लिंगं तत्रैव मुख्यं च सम्प्रोक्तमविमुक्तकम् । कृत्तिवासेश्वरः साक्षात्तत्तुल्यो वृद्धबालकः

Transliteration

liṃgaṃ tatraiva mukhyaṃ ca samproktamavimuktakam | kṛttivāseśvaraḥ sākṣāttattulyo vṛddhabālakaḥ

Translation

Doon mismo, ang pinakapangunahing Liṅga ay ipinahayag na Avimuktaka. Si Kṛttivāseśvara ay si Śiva mismo, at kapantay niya iyon; sinasambit Siya bilang kapwa matanda at may pagkabatang tulad ng bata.

Word by Word

• लिङ्गम्: the Liṅga
• लिङ्गम्: Karma/Predicate (कर्म/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; वाक्ये कर्म/विधेयत्वेन

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb: there)

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अवधारणार्थ (only/indeed)

• मुख्यम्: principal/chief
• मुख्यम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• सम्प्रोक्तम्: has been declared/taught
• सम्प्रोक्तम्: Predicate (विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-वच् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; उपसर्ग: सम्+प्र

• अविमुक्तकम्: (called) Avimuktaka
• अविमुक्तकम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अविमुक्तक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (name/epithet)

• कृत्ति-वास-ईश्वरः: Kṛttivāseśvara (Lord wearing a skin)
• कृत्ति-वास-ईश्वरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृत्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + वास (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (कृत्तेः वासः यस्य सः ईश्वरः)

• साक्षात्: directly/in person
• साक्षात्: Emphasis/Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: साक्षात् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण/निपात (directly, in person)

• तत्-तुल्यः: equal to that
• तत्-तुल्यः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + तुल्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तृतीया-तत्पुरुषार्थ (तत्समानः)

• वृद्ध-बालकः: the old-boy (an aged child)
• वृद्ध-बालकः: Predicate Noun (विधेय-संज्ञा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृद्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + बालक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (वृद्धश्चासौ बालकश्च)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Bhairava

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Viśvanātha

Sthala Purana: Within Kāśī, the chief liṅga is proclaimed as Avimuktaka (“never-abandoned”), identifying the kṣetra as inseparable from Śiva. Kṛttivāseśvara is declared sākṣāt (Śiva directly) and ‘equal to that’, described paradoxically as vṛddha-bālaka (old-yet-childlike), signaling Śiva’s timelessness and playful sovereignty in the liberation-field of Avimukta.

Significance: Avimukta is presented as the principal salvific center: darśana/arcana here is oriented toward vimukti (release from pāśa), not merely worldly boons.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Annapūrṇā

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: dipa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Krittivaseshvara
• Avimuktaka

FAQs

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

It identifies Avimuktaka as the foremost sacred Linga/seat of Shiva and equates Krittivaseshvara with it, teaching that Shiva’s presence in the Linga is direct and grace-giving, transcending time (old yet childlike).

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

By calling the Linga ‘chief’ and Shiva ‘directly present’ as Krittivaseshvara, the verse affirms Saguna worship: devotees approach the transcendent Shiva through the accessible, consecrated Linga form, especially in Avimukta.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform Linga-puja with steady bhakti—offering water and bilva leaves while repeating the Panchakshara mantra (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), contemplating Shiva as timeless (ageless) and compassionately near.