Shloka 3

महाकालज्योतिर्लिङ्गमाहात्म्ये चन्द्रसेन-चिन्तामणि-प्रसङ्गः

Mahākāla Jyotirliṅga Māhātmya: The Episode of King Candrasena and the Cintāmaṇi

Devanagari script

उज्जयिन्यामभूद्राजा चन्द्रसेनाह्वयो महान् । सर्वशास्त्रार्थतत्त्वज्ञश्शिवभक्तो जितेन्द्रियः

Transliteration

ujjayinyāmabhūdrājā candrasenāhvayo mahān | sarvaśāstrārthatattvajñaśśivabhakto jitendriyaḥ

Translation

اُجّینی میں چندرسین نام کا ایک عظیم راجا تھا۔ وہ تمام شاستروں کے حقیقی مفہوم کا جاننے والا، بھگوان شِو کا بھکت اور حواس پر قابو پانے والا تھا۔

Word by Word

• उज्जयिन्याम्: in Ujjayinī
• उज्जयिन्याम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उज्जयिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अधिकरण (locative of place)

• अभूत्: was/became
• अभूत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लुङ्-लकार (Aorist/लुङ्), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• राजा: a king
• राजा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• चन्द्रसेनाह्वयः: named Candrasena
• चन्द्रसेनाह्वयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चन्द्रसेन (प्रातिपदिक) + आह्वय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (नाम-आह्वयः = ‘called by the name’); विशेषण (qualifier of राजा)

• महान्: great
• महान्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महान्त् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier of राजा)

• सर्वशास्त्रार्थतत्त्वज्ञः: knower of the true purport of all scriptures
• सर्वशास्त्रार्थतत्त्वज्ञः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + शास्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + तत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक) + ज्ञ (कृदन्त; √ज्ञा धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष समास; ‘सर्व-शास्त्र-अर्थ-तत्त्व’ इत्यस्य ‘ज्ञः’ (knower) — विशेषण (of राजा)

• शिवभक्तः: devotee of Śiva
• शिवभक्तः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + भक्त (कृदन्त; √भज् धातु, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (शिवस्य भक्तः) — विशेषण

• जितेन्द्रियः: one who has conquered his senses
• जितेन्द्रियः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जित (कृदन्त; √जि धातु, क्त) + इन्द्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि (यस्य इन्द्रियाणि जितानि सः) — विशेषण

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Mahākāleśvara

Sthala Purana: Ujjayinī is introduced as the sacred seat where the Śiva-bhakta king Candrasena rules; this narrative frame leads into the Mahākāla episode in which devotion and Śiva’s protection become central themes.

Significance: Darśana of Mahākāla is held to remove fear of death/time (kāla), grant protection, and steady bhakti through Śiva’s anugraha.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Candrasena
• Ujjayini

FAQs

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

It presents the Shaiva ideal ruler-devotee: one grounded in śāstric truth (tattva) and inner discipline (jitendriya), showing that devotion to Śiva is strengthened by knowledge and self-mastery.

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

By identifying Candrasena as a śiva-bhakta in the Kotirudra context (Jyotirlinga-centered narratives), the verse frames Linga/Saguna Śiva worship as supported by right understanding of śāstra and ethical restraint.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The implied practice is sense-control alongside steady Śiva-bhakti—typically expressed through daily Linga-pūjā, japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), and disciplined conduct.