Shloka 20

द्वादशज्योतिर्लिङ्गावतारकथनम्

Account of the Twelve Jyotirliṅga Manifestations

Devanagari script

देवैस्संप्रार्थितस्तत्र द्विधारूपेण संस्थितः । भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदो लिंगरूपो वै शक्तवत्सल

Transliteration

devaissaṃprārthitastatra dvidhārūpeṇa saṃsthitaḥ | bhuktimuktiprado liṃgarūpo vai śaktavatsala

Translation

وہاں دیوتاؤں کی پُراثر التجا پر وہ دوہری صورت میں قائم ہوئے—حقیقتاً لِنگ روپ میں بھوگ اور موکش دونوں کے عطا کرنے والے، اور شکتی کے لیے ہمیشہ محبت و شفقت رکھنے والے۔

Word by Word

• देवैः: by the gods
• देवैः: Karaṇa (करण/Agent-instrument in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; करण

• सं-प्रार्थितः: was earnestly prayed to
• सं-प्रार्थितः: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-अर्थ् (धातु) + सम् (उपसर्ग) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (adverb of place)

• द्विधा: in two ways, twofold
• द्विधा: Prakāra (प्रकार/Manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: द्विधा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (manner adverb)

• रूपेण: by/with a form
• रूपेण: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; करण

• संस्थितः: was situated/established
• संस्थितः: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु) + सम् (उपसर्ग) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past participle/क्त); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• भुक्ति-मुक्ति-प्रदः: giver of enjoyment and liberation
• भुक्ति-मुक्ति-प्रदः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + मुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समाहार-द्वन्द्व (भुक्ति+मुक्ति) पूर्वपद + तत्पुरुष (‘प्रद’ = दाता); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• लिङ्ग-रूपः: having the form of a liṅga
• लिङ्ग-रूपः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• शक्त-वत्सलः: affectionate to the Śaktas/devotees of Śakti
• शक्त-वत्सलः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शक्त (प्रातिपदिक) + वत्सल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (‘शक्तेषु वत्सलः’); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadashiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: The devas implore Śiva; he abides ‘in a twofold form’—as transcendent boon-giver and as immanent liṅga-presence—granting both bhukti and mukti, and described as śakti-vatsala (tender toward Śakti).

Significance: Frames liṅga-worship as a complete sādhana: it yields artha/kāma (bhukti) when sought dharmically and culminates in mokṣa (mukti) through Śiva’s grace.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Parvati

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Devas
• Shakti

FAQs

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

The verse presents Shiva’s compassionate accessibility: when invoked by sincere prayer, he abides in a worshipable form (the Liṅga) that can grant both dharmic well-being (bhukti) and final release (mukti), showing him as Pati (the Lord) responding to devotees.

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

It explicitly identifies Shiva as “liṅga-rūpa,” indicating Saguna worship through the Liṅga as a concrete, consecrated presence of the transcendent Lord—an authorized means in the Purana for receiving grace leading from worldly support to liberation.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Liṅga-pūjā with devotion—offering water, bilva leaves, and mantra-japa (especially the Panchākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”)—is implied as the practical way to seek bhukti and, ultimately, mukti through Shiva’s grace.