Shiva Purana — Kotirudra Samhita, Shloka 37

ज्योतिर्लिङ्ग-तदुपलिङ्ग-माहात्म्यवर्णनम्

Narration of the Greatness of the Jyotirliṅga and Associated Liṅgas

Devanagari script

महाकालभवं लिंगं दुग्धेशमिति विश्रुतम् । नर्मदायां प्रसिद्धं तत्सर्वपापहरं स्मृतम्

Transliteration

mahākālabhavaṃ liṃgaṃ dugdheśamiti viśrutam | narmadāyāṃ prasiddhaṃ tatsarvapāpaharaṃ smṛtam

Translation

此由大时（Mahākāla）所生之林伽，名闻为“杜格德黑沙”（Dugdhēśa）。它在那尔摩陀河岸广为传扬，被忆念为能除尽一切罪业者。

Word by Word

• महाकालभवम्: originating from Mahākāla
• महाकालभवम्: Karma (कर्म) (qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाकाल + भव (प्रातिपदिकानि)
• Form: तत्पुरुष समास (महाकालात् भवम्/महाकालस्य भवम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; qualifies लिङ्गम्

• लिङ्गम्: liṅga (Śiva-emblem)
• लिङ्गम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• दुग्धेशम्: Dugdheśa (Lord of milk)
• दुग्धेशम्: Karma (कर्म) (apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुग्ध + ईश (प्रातिपदिकानि)
• Form: तत्पुरुष समास (दुग्धस्य ईशः), पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; नाम (proper epithet)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/नामनिर्देश अव्यय

• विश्रुतम्: well-known
• विश्रुतम्: Kriya-puraka (क्रियापूरक)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-श्रु (धातु) → विश्रुत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; here predicate adjective to लिङ्गम्

• नर्मदायाम्: in (the river) Narmadā
• नर्मदायाम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर्मदा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्रसिद्धम्: renowned
• प्रसिद्धम्: Kriya-puraka (क्रियापूरक)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र- सिद्ध (धातु/प्रातिपदिक) → प्रसिद्ध (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; predicate adjective to तत्

• तत्: that (liṅga)
• तत्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सर्वपापहरम्: remover of all sins
• सर्वपापहरम्: Karta (कर्ता) (qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + पाप + हर (प्रातिपदिकानि)
• Form: तत्पुरुष समास (सर्वेषां पापानां हरः/हरम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; qualifies तत्

• स्मृतम्: is regarded (as)
• स्मृतम्: Kriya-puraka (क्रियापूरक)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्मृ (धातु) → स्मृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘is considered/remembered as’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahākāla

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Oṃkāreśvara

Sthala Purana: Here the Purāṇa lists a liṅga called Dugdhēśa, said to be ‘born of Mahākāla’ and famed on the Narmadā. In later pan-Indian mapping, the Narmadā’s principal Jyotirliṅga is Oṃkāreśvara/Māṃdhātā; this verse appears to preserve a local/ancillary liṅga-name within the Narmadā-kṣetra rather than the standard twelve-name list.

Significance: Darśana and worship in the Narmadā-Śiva-kṣetra are framed as sarva-pāpa-kṣaya (removal of sin), aligning with Śaiva Siddhānta’s notion that Śiva’s grace (anugraha) burns karmic bonds.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva (Mahakala)
• Dugdheshwara Linga
• Narmada

FAQs

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

It proclaims a specific Śiva-liṅga (Dugdhēśa), connected with Mahākāla, as a powerful tīrtha on the Narmadā whose darśana and worship purify accumulated pāpa, supporting the Shaiva view that grace flows through sacred forms and places.

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

By naming and locating the liṅga, the text directs devotees to Saguna Śiva worship—approaching the transcendent Pati (Śiva) through a consecrated liṅga that becomes a visible focus for devotion, surrender, and receiving anugraha (divine grace).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Pilgrimage to the Narmadā shrine, followed by liṅga-abhiṣeka (traditionally with water or milk), japa of the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” and simple bhakti (prayer and offering) as a purification-oriented practice.