Shloka 35
गौतमस्य शिवदर्शनं पापक्षयवचनं च | Gautama’s Vision of Śiva and the Teaching on Sin and Purification
सूत उवाच । इत्येवं वचनं श्रुत्वा स्वामिनः परमेशितुः । प्रसन्नमानसा भूत्वा गंगा च प्रत्यपूजयत्
sūta uvāca | ityevaṃ vacanaṃ śrutvā svāminaḥ parameśituḥ | prasannamānasā bhūtvā gaṃgā ca pratyapūjayat
সূতে ক’লে—পৰমেশ্বৰ স্বামীৰ এই বাক্য শুনি গঙ্গা প্ৰসন্নচিত্তা হৈ প্ৰত্যুত্তৰস্বৰূপে তেওঁৰ পূজা কৰিলে।
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Mahādeva
Jyotirlinga: Viśvanātha
Sthala Purana: Gaṅgā responds to Śiva’s assurance by worshipping Him—depicting the reciprocal sanctification of Kāśī: the tīrtha honors the Lord whose presence makes the kṣetra liberating.
Significance: Models ideal bhakti: even a cosmic purifier (Gaṅgā) approaches Śiva as Parameśvara; pilgrims emulate this humility and devotion in Kāśī worship.
Shakti Form: Tārā
Role: nurturing
Offering: pushpa
FAQs
It highlights the Shaiva Siddhanta emphasis on Śiva as Pati (the Supreme Lord) whose word brings inner clarity; when the heart becomes prasanna (serene), devotion naturally expresses itself as worship and surrender.
By calling Śiva “Parameśituḥ,” the verse frames Him as the approachable Supreme; in Purāṇic practice this is honored through Saguna worship—especially Liṅga-pūjā—where reverence is offered in response to His grace and instruction.
A practical takeaway is calm-minded worship after receiving scriptural guidance: perform Śiva-pūjā with a settled mind, optionally accompanied by pañcākṣarī japa (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) as an act of responsive devotion.