Shloka 27

Viśveśvara-māhātmya and the Nirguṇa–Saguṇa Emergence of Śiva (Śakti–Puruṣa/Prakṛti Discourse)

Devanagari script

येषां क्वापि गतिर्नास्ति तेषां वाराणसी पुरी । पंचक्रोशी महापुण्या हत्याकोटिविनाशनी

Transliteration

yeṣāṃ kvāpi gatirnāsti teṣāṃ vārāṇasī purī | paṃcakrośī mahāpuṇyā hatyākoṭivināśanī

Translation

Für jene, die nirgends Zuflucht oder einen geistigen Weg finden, wird die Stadt Vārāṇasī selbst zur wahren Heimstatt. Die heilige Pañcakrośī-Pilgerfahrt dort ist von höchstem Verdienst und vernichtet durch Śivas Gnade selbst Krore von Sünden, auch so schwere wie Tötung.

Word by Word

• येषाम्: of whom
• येषाम्: सम्बन्ध (Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Gen.6), बहुवचन (Pl); सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• क्व: anywhere/where
• क्व: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative setting)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्व (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रश्नार्थक/अनिश्चित-स्थानवाचक (interrogative/indefinite locative adverb)

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: सम्बन्ध (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपि-कार (particle: even/also)

• गतिः: refuge/way/destination
• गतिः: कर्ता (Kartṛ/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (F), प्रथमा (Nom.1), एकवचन (Sg)

• न: not
• न: सम्बन्ध (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• अस्ति: is
• अस्ति: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन (Sg)

• तेषाम्: for them/of them
• तेषाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Gen.6), बहुवचन (Pl); सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• वाराणसी: Vārāṇasī
• वाराणसी: कर्ता (Kartṛ/Subject; equational)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाराणसी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (F), प्रथमा (Nom.1), एकवचन (Sg); नगरनाम (proper noun)

• पुरी: city
• पुरी: विशेष्य/समानााधिकरण (Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (F), प्रथमा (Nom.1), एकवचन (Sg); वाराणसी-विशेषणार्थे/समानााधिकरण (appositional)

• पञ्च-क्रोशी: the five-krośa (circuit)
• पञ्च-क्रोशी: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa of (वाराणसी/पुरी))
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च + क्रोशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (F), प्रथमा (Nom.1), एकवचन (Sg); समासः—द्विगु (“five-krośa (region)”)

• महापुण्या: very sacred
• महापुण्या: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा + पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (F), प्रथमा (Nom.1), एकवचन (Sg); समासः—कर्मधारय (“greatly holy”)

• हत्या-कोटि-विनाशनी: destroying crores of (sins like) killings
• हत्या-कोटि-विनाशनी: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हत्या + कोटि + विनाशनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (F), प्रथमा (Nom.1), एकवचन (Sg); समासः—तत्पुरुष (“destroyer of crores of sins/murders”)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Viśvanātha

Sthala Purana: Kāśī is portrayed as the ultimate refuge for the spiritually destitute; the Pañcakrośī-yātrā around Kāśī functions as a kṣetra-pradakṣiṇā that burns even mahāpātakas by Śiva’s kṛpā.

Significance: Pañcakrośī-parikramā as a purificatory pilgrimage: removal of heavy sins and restoration of spiritual ‘gati’ culminating in Śiva’s protection and liberation.

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Vārāṇasī (Kāśī)
• Pañcakrośī

FAQs

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

It proclaims Kāśī (Vārāṇasī) as Śiva’s special liberating field: when a seeker has no other gati (refuge/way), Śiva’s kṣetra grants purification and a renewed path toward mokṣa through His grace.

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

Koṭirudrasaṃhitā emphasizes tīrtha and Jyotirliṅga-centered devotion; Kāśī is approached as a living abode of Saguna Śiva where worship, darśana, and parikramā become direct means of receiving Śiva’s anugraha (saving grace).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Undertake the Pañcakrośī yātrā/parikramā with Śiva-bhakti—regular japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), simple vrata, and Liṅga-darśana—treating the pilgrimage as repentance, purification, and surrender to Śiva.