Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 28

अवभृथस्नान-तीर्थयात्रा-तेजोदर्शनम् | Avabhṛtha Bath, Tīrtha-Pilgrimage, and the Vision of Divine Radiance

Devanagari script

गंगातीर्थेस्य गमनं यात्रां वाराणसीं प्रति । दर्शनं तत्र लिंगानां स्थापितानां सुरेश्वरैः

Transliteration

gaṃgātīrthesya gamanaṃ yātrāṃ vārāṇasīṃ prati | darśanaṃ tatra liṃgānāṃ sthāpitānāṃ sureśvaraiḥ

Translation

Zum heiligen Furtort der Gaṅgā zu gehen, die Pilgerfahrt nach Vārāṇasī anzutreten und dort die von den Herren der Götter errichteten Śiva-Liṅgas zu schauen — dies wird als heiliger Weg der Verehrung verkündet, der die Seele zur Gnade Śivas führt.

Word by Word

• गङ्गा-तीर्थस्य: of the Gaṅgā-tīrtha
• गङ्गा-तीर्थस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा (प्रातिपदिक) + तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (गङ्गायाः तीर्थम्)

• गमनम्: going
• गमनम्: Karma (कर्म/उद्देश्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गमन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; here as enumerated item (nominal)

• यात्राम्: pilgrimage/journey
• यात्राम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यात्रा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• वाराणसीम्: Vārāṇasī
• वाराणसीम्: Karma (कर्म/गन्तव्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाराणसी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्रति: towards
• प्रति: Dik/Goal (दिक्/गन्तव्य)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपसर्गसदृश-निपात (preposition/adverb: 'towards')

• दर्शनम्: seeing/visiting
• दर्शनम्: Karma (कर्म/उद्देश्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दर्शन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; enumerated act

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb: 'there')

• लिङ्गानाम्: of liṅgas
• लिङ्गानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• स्थापितानाम्: that were established
• स्थापितानाम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त; क्त (past passive participle) 'स्थापित'; नपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying लिङ्गानाम्)

• सुरेश्वरैः: by the lords of the gods
• सुरेश्वरैः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर-ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया विभक्ति (करण/कर्तृ), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (सुराणाम् ईश्वराः)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Viśvanātha

Sthala Purana: Kāśī (Avimukta) is praised as Śiva’s never-abandoned kṣetra; pilgrimage to Gaṅgā-tīrtha and darśana of liṅgas established by the devas is said to conduce to Śiva’s grace and liberation-bestowing merit.

Significance: Gaṅgā-snāna, kṣetra-yātrā, and liṅga-darśana in Kāśī are framed as direct upāya for pāśa-kṣaya (loosening bondage) culminating in Śiva’s anugraha.

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Ganga
• Varanasi
• Shiva (implied by Linga)
• Devas (Sureshvaras)

FAQs

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

It praises tīrtha-yātrā—Gaṅgā-snāna, going to Kāśī (Vārāṇasī), and liṅga-darśana—as a Shaiva path that purifies the bound soul (paśu) and turns it toward Śiva (Pati) through grace and sacred contact.

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

By emphasizing “darśana” of liṅgas established by the devas, the verse highlights Saguna worship: approaching Śiva through the consecrated liṅga as a tangible, sanctified locus where devotion, prayer, and offering become focused and fruitful.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform Gaṅgā-snāna with purity, undertake Kāśī-yātrā with vrata-like discipline, and do liṅga-darśana with mantra-japa (especially the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), along with simple offerings such as water/abhisheka and reverent circumambulation.