Shloka 173

अविमुक्तक्षेत्रमाहात्म्य — काशी-वाराणसी में मोक्ष, लिङ्ग-तीर्थ-मानचित्र, और उपासना-विधि

Devanagari script

पूजया शतसाहस्रम् अनन्तं गीतवादिनाम् महास्नाने प्रसक्तं तु स्नानमष्टगुणं स्मृतम्

Transliteration

pūjayā śatasāhasram anantaṃ gītavādinām mahāsnāne prasaktaṃ tu snānamaṣṭaguṇaṃ smṛtam

Translation

بالمعبدة والعبادة (pūjā) ينال المرء ثوابًا مضاعفًا مئة ألف مرة، بل بلا حدّ، ولا سيّما بالإنشاد المقدّس والتسبيح المصحوب بالآلات. وإذا انشغل بالاغتسال العظيم (mahāsnāna) فذلك الاغتسال يُذكر أنه يعطي ثمرة مضاعفة ثماني مرات.

Word by Word

• पूजया (pūjayā): by worship

• शतसाहस्रम् (śata-sāhasram): a hundred thousand (times)

• अनन्तम् (anantam): endless, immeasurable

• गीतवादिनाम् (gīta-vādinām): of singers and instrumentalists / of those who perform song and music

• महास्नाने (mahā-snāne): in the great bath rite (mahāsnāna)

• प्रसक्तम् (prasaktam): engaged, devoted, intent upon

• तु (tu): and, indeed

• स्नानम् (snānam): bathing, ritual bath

• अष्टगुणम् (aṣṭa-guṇam): eightfold (multiplied)

• स्मृतम् (smṛtam): is remembered/declared (in tradition).

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

What is the importance of this verse in the context of Linga worship?

It ranks key limbs of Liṅga-pūjā by fruit: worship (pūjā) yields vast merit, sacred music (gīta-vādya) amplifies devotion, and mahāsnāna is singled out as an eightfold multiplier—showing that purity and reverent praise intensify the offering to Pati (Śiva).

How does this verse describe the nature of Shiva (Shiva-tattva)?

Śiva-tattva is approached as Pati who responds to bhakti expressed through pūjā and sacred sound; the “boundless” fruit points to His ananta (limitless) grace that loosens pāśa (bondage) upon the pashu (soul) through sincere, disciplined worship.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Mahāsnāna (the great ritual bath) is highlighted as a purificatory practice, and gīta-vādya (devotional singing/instrumental praise) as a supportive limb of pūjā—both aligning the pashu toward śuddhi (purity) and steadiness of mind akin to Pāśupata-oriented discipline.