Shloka 1
Ghuśmeśa-jyotirliṅga-māhātmya
The Greatness of the Ghuśmeśa Jyotirlinga
सूत उवाच । अतः परं च घुश्मेशं ज्योतिर्लिंगमुदाहृतम् । तस्यैव च सुमाहात्म्यं श्रूयतामृषिसत्तमः
sūta uvāca | ataḥ paraṃ ca ghuśmeśaṃ jyotirliṃgamudāhṛtam | tasyaiva ca sumāhātmyaṃ śrūyatāmṛṣisattamaḥ
سوت نے کہا—اب اس کے بعد ‘غُشمیش’ نامی جیوتِرلِنگ بیان کیا جاتا ہے؛ اے بہترین رشی، اسی پروردگار کی نہایت پاکیزہ عظمت سنو۔
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pati
Jyotirlinga: Ghṛṣṇeśvara
Sthala Purana: Transition verse introducing the next Jyotirliṅga: Ghuśmeśa/Ghṛṣṇeśvara. In the common māhātmya, a devoted woman (Ghuśmā) worships Śiva with steadfastness; through Śiva’s grace the liṅga becomes famed as Ghuśmeśa/Ghṛṣṇeśvara, exemplifying bhakti rewarded by anugraha.
Significance: Listening to and undertaking darśana of Ghṛṣṇeśvara is held to bestow purification and fulfillment; highlights Śiva’s responsiveness to simple, steady devotion.
FAQs
It formally begins the narration of the Ghuśmeśa Jyotirliṅga’s māhātmya, indicating that hearing (śravaṇa) the Lord’s glory is itself a bhakti-practice that purifies and turns the mind toward Śiva as Pati (the liberating Lord).
By naming Ghuśmeśa as a Jyotirliṅga, the text points to Saguna Śiva worship through the Liṅga—Śiva’s accessible, worship-worthy manifestation—through which devotees approach the transcendent (Nirguṇa) reality.
The immediate practice implied is attentive listening/recitation of the Jyotirliṅga māhātmya; traditionally this is paired with Liṅga-abhiṣeka, japa of the Pañcākṣarī ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya"), and simple offerings with devotion.