Shloka 34

द्वादशज्योतिर्लिङ्गावतारकथनम्

Account of the Twelve Jyotirliṅga Manifestations

Devanagari script

त्र्यंबकाख्योऽवतारो यः सोष्टमो गौतमीतटे । प्रार्थितो गौतमेनाविर्बभूव शशिमौलिनः

Transliteration

tryaṃbakākhyo'vatāro yaḥ soṣṭamo gautamītaṭe | prārthito gautamenāvirbabhūva śaśimaulinaḥ

Translation

主湿婆的第八次降世名为“三眼者”特里扬巴卡。于乔达弥河岸，月冠之主应乔达摩的祈祷而显现。

Word by Word

• tryambaka-ākhyaḥ: named ‘Tryambaka’
• tryambaka-ākhyaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tryambaka (प्रातिपदिक) + ākhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उपपद-तत्पुरुष/नामधारकः ‘त्र्यम्बक इति आख्यः’ (called Tryambaka); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (of avatāraḥ)

• avatāraḥ: incarnation
• avatāraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: avatāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• aṣṭamaḥ: eighth
• aṣṭamaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aṣṭama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रमवाचक-विशेषण (ordinal), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• gautamī-taṭe: on the bank of the Gautamī (river)
• gautamī-taṭe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gautamī (प्रातिपदिक) + taṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष ‘गौतमी-नद्याः तटः’ (bank of the Gautamī); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• prārthitaḥ: requested
• prārthitaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: arth (धातु) → prārthita (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृत्-क्त (past passive participle), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; (he) ‘having been requested’

• gautamena: by Gautama
• gautamena: Kartṛ-karaṇa / Agent in passive (कर्तृ-करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gautama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• āvir: manifestly / into appearance
• āvir: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: āvir (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb), प्रादुर्भावार्थ (manifestly/into view)

• babhūva: became / appeared
• babhūva: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• śaśi-maulinaḥ: of the moon-crested (Śiva)
• śaśi-maulinaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaśin (प्रातिपदिक) + maulin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि ‘शशिः मौलौ यस्य सः’ (he whose crest bears the moon); पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (अवतारस्य सम्बन्धे)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Tryambakeśvara

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Tryambakeśvara

Sthala Purana: Gautama Ṛṣi, dwelling at the Godāvarī (Gautamī) bank, propitiates the Moon-crested Śiva; Śiva manifests as Tryambaka at that tīrtha, establishing His presence for the sage’s welfare and the sanctification of the region.

Significance: Darśana of the Jyotirliṅga at the Godāvarī source is held to remove pāśa (bondage) through Śiva’s anugraha, granting both bhukti (desired aims) and mukti (liberation).

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Gautama
• Gautami (Godavari)

FAQs

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

It teaches that Shiva, the Pati (Lord), freely reveals His saguna form out of compassion when a purified devotee prays with sincerity—showing grace as the direct cause of divine manifestation and upliftment.

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

Tryambaka is a personal, approachable (saguna) manifestation of Shiva, and such manifestations are commonly worshipped through the Linga at sacred tirthas—where devotion, prayer, and presence converge in Shaiva practice.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Prayerful japa of the Panchakshara mantra ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya") with tirtha-snāna (holy river bath) and inner humility is implied, emphasizing bhakti-led invocation of Shiva’s grace.