Shiva Purana — Kotirudra Samhita, Shloka 45

Nāgeśa-jyotirliṅga-prādurbhāvaḥ — The Manifestation of the Nāgeśa Jyotirliṅga

Devanagari script

कारागृहगतस्सोपि बहूंश्चाशिक्षयत्तदा । शिवमंत्रं च पूजां च पार्थिवीमृषिसत्तमाः

Transliteration

kārāgṛhagatassopi bahūṃścāśikṣayattadā | śivamaṃtraṃ ca pūjāṃ ca pārthivīmṛṣisattamāḥ

Translation

Hỡi bậc hiền thánh tối thượng, dẫu bị giam trong ngục, khi ấy ông vẫn dạy cho nhiều người thần chú của Śiva và phép thờ phụng Liṅga Pārthiva—liṅga bằng đất—một cách trang nghiêm.

Word by Word

• कारागृहगतः: (he) who had gone to / was in the prison
• कारागृहगतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कारागृह-गत (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त from √गम्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle) ‘गत’ = gone/being in; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (कारागृहस्य गतः)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अपि: also, even
• अपि: Sambandha/Emphasis (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle)

• बहून्: many (persons)
• बहून्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• अशिक्षयत्: taught
• अशिक्षयत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √शिक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; causative sense not marked here; ‘taught’

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (temporal adverb)

• शिवमन्त्रम्: the Śiva-mantra
• शिवमन्त्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव-मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (शिवस्य मन्त्रः)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• पूजाम्: worship
• पूजाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• पार्थिवीम्: the earthen (one/rite)
• पार्थिवीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थिवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘earth-made (liṅga/rite)’ sense contextually

• ऋषिसत्तमाः: O best of sages / the best sages
• ऋषिसत्तमाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि-सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (ऋषीणां सत्तमाः)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: oṃ namaḥ śivāya

Type: panchakshara

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Rishis

FAQs

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

It teaches that devotion to Pati (Śiva) is not limited by external conditions: even in bondage one can uplift others through Śiva-mantra and Liṅga worship, turning suffering into a means of purification and grace.

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

By highlighting Pārthiva Liṅga pūjā, the verse points to Saguna upāsanā—worship of Śiva with form—where the devotee approaches the formless Lord through the consecrated symbol of the Liṅga and disciplined ritual devotion.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice Śiva-mantra japa (commonly the Pañcākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) along with Pārthiva Liṅga worship—making a clay Liṅga, offering water and simple upacāras with devotion and purity of intention.