Shiva Purana — Kotirudra Samhita, Shloka 2

ज्योतिर्लिङ्ग-तदुपलिङ्ग-माहात्म्यवर्णनम्

Narration of the Greatness of the Jyotirliṅga and Associated Liṅgas

Devanagari script

कृपाललितवीक्षणं स्मितमनोज्ञवक्त्राम्बुजं शशांककलयोज्ज्वलं शमितघोरतापत्रयम् । करोतु किमपि स्फुरत्परमसौख्यसच्चिद्वपुर्धराधरसुताभुजोद्वलयितं महो मंगलम्

Transliteration

kṛpālalitavīkṣaṇaṃ smitamanojñavaktrāmbujaṃ śaśāṃkakalayojjvalaṃ śamitaghoratāpatrayam | karotu kimapi sphuratparamasaukhyasaccidvapurdharādharasutābhujodvalayitaṃ maho maṃgalam

Translation

愿至吉祥的湿婆大自在天——慈悲柔和其目光，含笑之莲颜清妙可爱，额间新月辉映，能息灭可怖的三重苦恼——赐予我们奇妙的加持：其身即“有”与“觉”，闪耀无上大乐，并为山之女帕尔瓦蒂光明的臂膀所拥抱。

Word by Word

• कृपा-ललित-वीक्षणम्: a glance softened by compassion
• कृपा-ललित-वीक्षणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृपा (प्रातिपदिक) + ललित (प्रातिपदिक) + वीक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (कृपया ललितं वीक्षणम्)

• स्मित-मनोज्ञ-वक्त्र-अम्बुजम्: a lotus-like face charming with a smile
• स्मित-मनोज्ञ-वक्त्र-अम्बुजम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्मित (प्रातिपदिक) + मनोज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक) + वक्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + अम्बुज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-संकर (स्मितेन मनोज्ञं वक्त्रं यद् अम्बुजवत्)

• शशाङ्क-कला-य-उज्ज्वलम्: bright with the moon’s crescent
• शशाङ्क-कला-य-उज्ज्वलम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शशाङ्क (प्रातिपदिक) + कला (प्रातिपदिक) + उज्ज्वल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तृतीया-तत्पुरुषार्थ (शशाङ्ककलया उज्ज्वलम्)

• शमित-घोर-ताप-त्रयम्: that which has pacified the dreadful threefold afflictions
• शमित-घोर-ताप-त्रयम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शमित (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त) + घोर (प्रातिपदिक) + ताप (प्रातिपदिक) + त्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्त-कृदन्त ‘शमित’ + तत्पुरुष (घोरं तापत्रयं शमितम्)

• करोतु: may it do/make
• करोतु: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative/benedictive sense), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• किम्: what/something
• किम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; अनिर्दिष्टार्थ (something/what)

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अपि-शब्दः (also/even)

• स्फुरत्-परम-सौख्य-सत्-चित्-वपुः: (that) whose body is sat-cit and radiant supreme bliss
• स्फुरत्-परम-सौख्य-सत्-चित्-वपुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्फुरत् (प्रातिपदिक; शतृ-कृदन्त) + परम (प्रातिपदिक) + सौख्य (प्रातिपदिक) + सत् (प्रातिपदिक) + चित् (प्रातिपदिक) + वपुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि (यस्मिन् स्फुरत् परमसौख्यं सच्चिद्वपुः अस्ति तत्)

• धराधर-सुता-भुज-उद्वलयितम्: adorned/encircled by the arms of the mountain’s daughter (Pārvatī)
• धराधर-सुता-भुज-उद्वलयितम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धराधर (प्रातिपदिक) + सुता (प्रातिपदिक) + भुज (प्रातिपदिक) + उद्वलयित (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्त/णिच्-कृदन्त ‘उद्वलयित’ (adorned/encircled) + तत्पुरुष (धराधरसुतायाः भुजैः उद्वलयितम्)

• महो: great
• महो: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘महत्’ का विशेष रूप ‘महो’ (great)

• मङ्गलम्: auspiciousness/benediction
• मङ्गलम्: Karma/Phala (कर्म/फल)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मङ्गल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; आशीर्वादार्थक (benedictive predicate/object)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (invocatory verse as narrator addressing the sages)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a specific sthala episode; an opening maṅgalācaraṇa praising Śiva as compassionate, moon-crested, remover of the threefold afflictions, and united with Pārvatī.

Significance: Frames darśana of Śiva as the direct means to śānti: pacification of tāpa-traya and bestowal of paramasaukhyam (supreme bliss).

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati

FAQs

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

It is a maṅgalācaraṇa (auspicious invocation) praising Śiva as the compassionate Pati who dissolves tāpa-traya (inner, worldly, and divine afflictions) and bestows grace that culminates in supreme bliss and liberation.

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

The verse contemplates Saguna Śiva—recognizable by the crescent moon and His union with Pārvatī—encouraging devotees to approach the Linga as the merciful, auspicious presence through whom the formless truth (sat-cit-ānanda) becomes accessible for devotion.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A simple dhyāna is implied: meditate on Śiva’s compassionate glance, crescent moon, and auspicious form while chanting the Panchākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), praying for the pacification of tāpa-traya and the descent of Śiva’s anugraha (grace).