Shloka 53

द्वादशज्योतिर्लिङ्गावतारकथनम्

Account of the Twelve Jyotirliṅga Manifestations

Devanagari script

दक्षिणस्यान्दिशि मुने देवशैलसमीपतः । आविर्बभूव सरसि घुश्माप्रियकरः प्रभुः

Transliteration

dakṣiṇasyāndiśi mune devaśailasamīpataḥ | āvirbabhūva sarasi ghuśmāpriyakaraḥ prabhuḥ

Translation

Hỡi bậc hiền triết, về phương Nam, gần ngọn núi thiêng, Đấng Chúa Tể—đấng được Ghuśmā yêu kính và ban điều làm nàng hoan hỷ—đã hiển lộ trong hồ nước.

Word by Word

• दक्षिणस्याम्: in the southern
• दक्षिणस्याम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दक्षिण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; विशेषण (agreeing with ‘दिशि’)

• दिशि: direction
• दिशि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• मुने: O sage
• मुने: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• देवशैलसमीपतः: near the divine mountain
• देवशैलसमीपतः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/स्थान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + शैल (प्रातिपदिक) + समीप (प्रातिपदिक) + तस् (तसिल्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: समास: देवशैल (षष्ठी/तत्पुरुष) + समीप (तत्पुरुष); ‘समीपतः’ = तसिल्-अव्यय (ablatival adverb) ‘from/near’; क्रियाविशेषण

• आविः: manifest
• आविः: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आविः (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb) ‘manifestly/into view’

• बभूव: became/appeared
• बभूव: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सरसि: in the lake
• सरसि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• घुश्माप्रियकरः: who brings delight to Ghuśmā / dear to Ghuśmā
• घुश्माप्रियकरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घुश्मा (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक) + कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (घुश्मायाः प्रियः करः/प्रियकरः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• प्रभुः: the Lord
• प्रभुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Ghṛṣṇeśvara

Sthala Purana: In the southern quarter near Devagiri/Devaśaila, Śiva manifests in a lake/pond out of compassion for the devotee Ghuśmā (Ghṛṣṇā), becoming ‘dear to her’ and initiating the local epiphany that culminates in the establishment of the Jyotirliṅga.

Significance: Darśana of the manifested Lord at the sacred pond-site is held to remove calamity and confirm Śiva’s bhakta-vātsalya, preparing the devotee for both bhukti and eventual mukti.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Ghushma

FAQs

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

It highlights Śiva as Pati (the Lord) who compassionately becomes manifest in a definite place and form for the sake of a devotee’s bhakti, showing that divine grace responds to sincere devotion.

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

The verse emphasizes Saguna manifestation—Śiva appearing in a perceivable locus (the lake) for the devotee’s benefit, which aligns with how devotees approach Śiva through concrete supports of worship such as the Liṅga and sacred tīrthas.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is tīrtha-centric Śiva-bhakti: worship Śiva with purity and steadiness at a sacred water-body or shrine, repeating the Pañcākṣarī mantra (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) as a focused remembrance of the Lord’s gracious presence.