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Shloka 4

उत्तरदिग्देशस्थ-शिवलीङ्गमाहात्म्य

Māhātmya of Northern-Region Śiva-liṅgas

गोकर्णं क्षेत्रमपरं महापातकनाशनम् । महावनं च तत्रास्ति पवित्रमतिविस्तरम्

gokarṇaṃ kṣetramaparaṃ mahāpātakanāśanam | mahāvanaṃ ca tatrāsti pavitramativistaram

گوکرن ایک اور مقدّس کْشَیتر ہے جو بڑے سے بڑے پاپوں کو بھی مٹا دیتا ہے۔ وہاں ایک عظیم جنگل بھی ہے، نہایت پاکیزہ اور بہت وسیع۔

गोकर्णम्Gokarṇa
गोकर्णम्:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootगो (प्रातिपदिक) + कर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; place-name; तत्पुरुष: 'cow-ear' (proper noun)
क्षेत्रम्a sacred field/place
क्षेत्रम्:
Karta (कर्ता/Apposition)
TypeNoun
Rootक्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; in apposition to 'gokarṇam'
अपरम्another
अपरम्:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootअपर (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; adjective qualifying 'kṣetram'
महापातकनाशनम्destroying great sins
महापातकनाशनम्:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootमहा (प्रातिपदिक) + पातक (प्रातिपदिक) + नाशन (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; adjective qualifying 'kṣetram'; तत्पुरुष: 'destroyer of great sins'
महावनम्a great forest
महावनम्:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootमहा (प्रातिपदिक) + वन (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; कर्मधारय: 'great forest'
and
:
Samuccaya (समुच्चय/Connector)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
FormConjunction (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)
तत्रthere
तत्र:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतत्र (अव्यय)
FormLocative adverb (देशवाचक अव्यय)
अस्तिis/exists
अस्ति:
Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
TypeVerb
Rootअस् (धातु)
Formलट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular)
पवित्रम्holy
पवित्रम्:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootपवित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; adjective qualifying 'mahāvanam'
अतिविस्तरम्very expansive
अतिविस्तरम्:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootअति (अव्यय/उपसर्ग) + विस्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; adjective qualifying 'mahāvanam'; कर्मधारय: 'very extensive'

Suta Goswami

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Sthala Purana: Gokarṇa is praised as a kṣetra that destroys mahāpātakas; the verse foregrounds the kṣetra itself (field of Śiva’s presence) and its purifying forest (mahāvana) as part of the sacred geography.

Significance: Mahāpātaka-nāśana: pilgrimage, darśana, and residence/sojourn in the kṣetra are portrayed as powerful means of pāpa-kṣaya and inner purification, preparing the soul for Śiva’s grace.

Role: nurturing

S
Shiva

FAQs

It proclaims Gokarṇa as a sanctifying kṣetra whose contact and worship-oriented pilgrimage can burn away even heavy karmic burdens, emphasizing Shiva’s grace working through sacred geography.

In the Koṭirudra context of Jyotirliṅga-mahātmya, praising the kṣetra implies that Saguna Shiva is worshipped there in an accessible form (Liṅga/temple presence), where devotion and rites gain intensified fruit.

Pilgrimage (kṣetra-yātrā) with Shiva-bhakti—such as darśana, japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), and simple purification observances—fits the verse’s focus on sin-destruction and sanctity.