Shloka 2
ज्योतिर्लिङ्गमाहात्म्य-प्रस्तावना तथा सोमनाथ-प्रसङ्गः
Prologue to the Glory and Origin of the Jyotirliṅgas; Somnātha Episode Begins
सूत उवाच । शृण्वन्तु विप्रा वक्ष्यामि तन्माहात्म्यं जनिं तथा । संक्षेपतो यथाबुद्धि सद्गुरोश्च मया श्रुतम्
sūta uvāca | śṛṇvantu viprā vakṣyāmi tanmāhātmyaṃ janiṃ tathā | saṃkṣepato yathābuddhi sadgurośca mayā śrutam
سوت نے کہا—اے وِپرو! سنو۔ میں اس کی عظمت اور اس کی پیدائش بھی اختصار سے، اپنی سمجھ کے مطابق، جیسا کہ میں نے سَدگُرو سے سنا ہے، بیان کروں گا۔
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pashu
Sthala Purana: Introductory framing: Sūta prepares to narrate the māhātmya (sacred greatness) and janma/origin of the forthcoming Śiva manifestations/holy sites as received through guru-paramparā.
Significance: Establishes śravaṇa (devotional listening) as a primary means of accruing puṇya and preparing for Śiva-kathā; emphasizes transmission through a ‘sadguru’.
FAQs
It establishes śravaṇa (reverent listening) and Guru-paramparā as the trustworthy means to receive Shiva’s māhātmya, implying that sacred knowledge bears fruit when transmitted through an authentic teacher and received with devotion.
By introducing a forthcoming “māhātmya” and “origin,” Sūta frames Linga/Saguna-Shiva worship as grounded in revealed narrative and sanctifying praise—preparing the listener to approach Jyotirliṅga glories as spiritually efficacious, not merely historical.
The implied practice is śravaṇa and smaraṇa: listen attentively to Shiva-kathā from a competent teacher and contemplate it; this is a foundational devotional discipline that supports mantra-japa and pilgrimage practices described later.