Shiva Purana — Kotirudra Samhita, Shloka 17
अवंतीस्थ-ब्राह्मणकथा तथा तृतीय-ज्योतिर्लिङ्गोपाख्यान-प्रस्तावना
Avanti Brahmin Narrative and Prelude to the Third Jyotirliṅga
यावंतो वेदधर्माश्च तावंतो दूरतः कृताः । तीर्थेतीर्थे तथा क्षेत्रे धर्मो नीतश्च दूरतः
yāvaṃto vedadharmāśca tāvaṃto dūrataḥ kṛtāḥ | tīrthetīrthe tathā kṣetre dharmo nītaśca dūrataḥ
جميع الواجبات التي أوجبَتها الفيدا أُلقيت بعيدًا؛ ومن مَزارٍ إلى مَزار، ومن حَرَمٍ مقدّسٍ إلى حَرَمٍ مقدّس، دُفِعَتِ الدارما نفسها إلى البُعد.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pasha
Shiva Form: Mahākāla
Jyotirlinga: Mahākāleśvara
Sthala Purana: The verse intensifies the crisis: even tīrthas and kṣetras lose dharma’s presence, implying only a supreme kṣetra—Mahākāla’s Avantī—will become the pivot for restoration through Śiva’s manifestation.
Significance: Highlights the doctrine that kṣetra’s sanctity is ultimately upheld by the Lord’s presence; pilgrimage becomes fruitful when aligned with dharma and Śiva’s grace.
Type: stotra
Cosmic Event: Kali-yuga-like dharma-kṣaya motif (implicit)
FAQs
It warns that when people approach sacred places without purity, devotion, and right conduct, even Vedic duties and dharma become “distant.” From a Shaiva Siddhanta lens, outer holiness must be supported by inner surrender to Pati (Shiva), otherwise pilgrimage becomes spiritually barren.
Kotirudrasaṃhitā emphasizes Jyotirlinga pilgrimage; this verse cautions that merely visiting kṣetras is insufficient. True benefit comes when the pilgrim worships Saguna Shiva as the Linga with bhakti, humility, and restraint—so the sacred site becomes a gateway to Shiva’s grace rather than a social routine.
Practice tīrtha-yātrā with daily japa of the Panchākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), Linga-archana, and disciplined conduct (truthfulness, non-injury, purity). Applying bhasma (Tripuṇḍra) and maintaining mantra-focused awareness helps keep dharma “near” rather than driven away.