Shloka 106

अविमुक्तक्षेत्रमाहात्म्य — काशी-वाराणसी में मोक्ष, लिङ्ग-तीर्थ-मानचित्र, और उपासना-विधि

Devanagari script

शैलेशं संगमेशं च स्वर्लीनं मध्यमेश्वरम् हिरण्यगर्भम् ईशानं गोप्रेक्षं वृषभध्वजम्

Transliteration

śaileśaṃ saṃgameśaṃ ca svarlīnaṃ madhyameśvaram hiraṇyagarbham īśānaṃ goprekṣaṃ vṛṣabhadhvajam

Translation

میں شِو کو شَیلَیش—پہاڑوں کے ادھِپتی؛ سنگمیش—مقدّس سنگم کے سوامی؛ سْوَرلیٖن—سورگ دھام میں مقیم؛ مَدیَمیشور—انترْیامی وسطی رب؛ ہِرنْیَگربھ—سنہری سِرشٹی بیج؛ ایشان—سَروادھِپتی؛ گوپریکش—گؤ-رکشک و دھرم کا نگہبان؛ اور وِرشبھ دھوج—بیل-دھوج دھاری—کے روپ میں پرنام کرتا ہوں۔

Word by Word

• शैलेशम् (śaileśam): Lord of the mountain

• संगमेशम् (saṃgameśam): Lord of the confluence (tīrtha)

• च (ca): and

• स्वर्लीनम् (svarlīnam): abiding in heaven / merged in the celestial realm

• मध्यमेश्वरम् (madhyameśvaram): the Middle Lord / inner ruler in the midst

• हिरण्यगर्भम् (hiraṇyagarbham): the golden womb/source (cosmic origin)

• ईशानम् (īśānam): Īśāna, the supreme ruler

• गोप्रेक्षम् (goprekṣam): watcher/protector of cows (and dharma)

• वृषभध्वजम् (vṛṣabhadhvajam): bull-bannered (sign of Dharma and Pati).

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating a Shiva-nama/linga-stotra section to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Ishana
• Hiranyagarbha

FAQs

What is the importance of this verse in the context of Linga worship?

It functions as a nama-recitation (epithet-list) for Linga-puja: each name anchors the worshipper’s mind in Śiva as Pati present in specific sacred modes—mountain, confluence, cosmic source, and bull-bannered dharma—making the offering inwardly contemplative, not merely external.

How does this verse describe the nature of Shiva (Shiva-tattva)?

Śiva is presented as both transcendent sovereign (Īśāna) and immanent inner ruler (Madhyameśvara), the causal ground of manifestation (Hiraṇyagarbha) while remaining the dharma-bearing Lord (Vṛṣabhadhvaja)—the Pati who liberates the paśu from pāśa through right knowledge and devotion.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Nama-japa and dhyāna during Linga-puja: meditate on Śiva as the inner center (madhya) and as Īśāna while offering water/flowers at a tīrtha (especially a saṅgama), integrating devotion with Pāśupata-style inward recollection of Pati.