Shloka 171

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

Devanagari script

पलानां द्वे सहस्रे तु महास्नानं प्रकीर्तितम् स्नाप्य लिङ्गं मदीयं तु गव्येनैव घृतेन च

Transliteration

palānāṃ dve sahasre tu mahāsnānaṃ prakīrtitam snāpya liṅgaṃ madīyaṃ tu gavyenaiva ghṛtena ca

Translation

Zweitausend Palas (pala) werden als das „große Bad“ (mahā-snāna) verkündet. Nachdem man so Meinen Liṅga gebadet hat, soll man die Abhiṣeka (heilige Übergießung) mit Kuhprodukten (gavyā) und auch mit Ghee vollziehen, um Pati (Śiva) mit reinen, sāttvischen Substanzen zu ehren, die das pāśa (Band) des paśu (der Seele) lockern.

Word by Word

• पलानाम् (palānām): of palas (a weight-measure)

• द्वे (dve): two

• सहस्रे (sahasre): thousands

• तु (tu): indeed/and

• महास्नानम् (mahāsnānam): great ritual bath

• प्रकीर्तितम् (prakīrtitam): is declared/proclaimed

• स्नाप्य (snāpya): having bathed/after bathing

• लिङ्गम् (liṅgam): the Linga

• मदीयम् (madīyam): My (belonging to Me)

• तु (tu): indeed

• गव्येन (gavyena): with cow-derived substances (gomaya/gomūtra/kṣīra/dadhi/ghṛta—contextually ‘gavyas’)

• एव (eva): only/indeed

• घृतेन (ghṛtena): with ghee

• च (ca): and.

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva’s puja-vidhi as taught within the Purana’s internal discourse)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It defines a standard for ‘mahā-snāna’ (great abhiṣeka) by specifying a large, ritually significant measure (two thousand palas) and highlights ghee and cow-derived purity-substances as privileged media for honoring Śiva’s Linga.

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

By calling it “My Linga,” the verse presents the Linga as Śiva’s own manifest sign (liṅga) through which Pati is approachable; worship is not merely symbolic but a direct upacāra to the Lord who grants release from bondage.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Ablution (abhisheka) as puja-vidhi—specifically mahā-snāna with measured offering and bathing with ghee and gavyas—supporting a sattvic discipline aligned with Pāśupata orientation (purification leading toward loosening pasha).