Shloka 31

शिवलिङ्गमाहात्म्यवर्णनम्

Narration of the Greatness of the Śiva-liṅga

Devanagari script

दक्षिणस्यां दिशि तथा शिवलिंगानि यानि च । संजातानि मुनिश्रेष्ठ तानि ते कथयाम्यहम्

Transliteration

dakṣiṇasyāṃ diśi tathā śivaliṃgāni yāni ca | saṃjātāni muniśreṣṭha tāni te kathayāmyaham

Translation

اے بہترین مُنی! جنوب کی سمت میں جو شِو لِنگ پرकट ہوئے ہیں، اُن کے بارے میں اب میں تمہیں بتاتا ہوں۔

Word by Word

• दक्षिणस्याम्: in the southern (direction)
• दक्षिणस्याम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्षिणा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अधिकरण (locative)

• दिशि: in the direction
• दिशि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अधिकरण

• तथा: thus/also
• तथा: Sambandha/Modifier (सम्बन्ध/विशेषणभाव)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• शिवलिङ्गानि: Śiva-liṅgas
• शिवलिङ्गानि: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव-लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; कर्तृ/उद्देश्य-निर्देश (topic)

• यानि: which
• यानि: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; सम्बन्धक (relative pronoun)

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

• संजातानि: arisen/produced
• संजातानि: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्+जन् (धातु) → संजात (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifies शिवलिङ्गानि)

• मुनिश्रेष्ठ: O best of sages
• मुनिश्रेष्ठ: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि-श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; संबोधन

• तानि: those
• तानि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन; कर्म

• ते: to you/for you
• ते: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध (dative-like sense: 'to you' is usually चतुर्थी, but here genitive enclitic 'te' often used for 'for you/to you')

• कथयामि: I tell/narrate
• कथयामि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथय् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present/लट्), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; कर्ता

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: A transition verse: Sūta announces the forthcoming account of liṅgas manifested in the southern quarter. The ‘dakṣiṇa’ cue naturally resonates with the teaching aspect (Dakṣiṇāmūrti), though the verse itself is primarily organizational.

Significance: Encourages systematic kṣetra-smaraṇa (remembering sacred sites) as a devotional practice; southward orientation also evokes guru/teaching symbolism in Śaiva traditions.

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Sages (Munis)

FAQs

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

It introduces a directional catalog of manifested Śiva-liṅgas, emphasizing that Śiva’s grace becomes accessible through specific sacred seats (liṅgas) that arise for the uplift of devotees and for pilgrimage-based purification.

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

By speaking of liṅgas that “manifest,” the text highlights Saguna worship: the formless (Nirguṇa) Śiva is approached through the consecrated, worshipable form of the liṅga, which serves as a focal support for devotion, abhiṣeka, and mantra-japa.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to engage in liṅga-pūjā with pañcākṣarī japa (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and abhiṣeka, and—where possible—undertake pilgrimage (tīrtha-yātrā) to the renowned southern liṅga-sthalas with a disciplined, devotional mind.