Shloka 6
Narmadā-tīrtha-māhātmya — Bhṛgu-tīrtha to Sāgara-saṅgama
Pilgrimage Circuit, Gifts, Fasting, and Imperishable Merit
ततो गच्छेत राजेन्द्र गौतमेश्वरमुत्तमम् / यत्राराध्य त्रिशूलाङ्कं गौतमः सिद्धिमाप्नुयात्
tato gaccheta rājendra gautameśvaramuttamam / yatrārādhya triśūlāṅkaṃ gautamaḥ siddhimāpnuyāt
Then, O king of kings, one should proceed to the supreme shrine of Gautameśvara, where the sage Gautama, having worshipped the Lord marked with the trident, attained siddhi—spiritual perfection.
Sūta (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya), within a tīrtha-māhātmya instruction addressed to a king
Primary Rasa: vira
Secondary Rasa: shanta
FAQs
By presenting “siddhi” as the fruit of devotion and right approach to Īśvara (here, Śiva as Triśūlāṅka), the verse implies that spiritual perfection is attained through God-realization rather than mere travel—tīrtha is a support for inner awakening of the Self.
The verse highlights ārādhana (focused propitiatory worship) as a practical sādhana: disciplined devotion at a sacred locus (tīrtha), aligning mind and conduct toward Īśvara—consistent with Purāṇic yoga where bhakti, mantra, and restraint mature into siddhi.
Within the Kurma Purana’s synthetic theology, praising a Śaiva tīrtha and Śiva’s emblem (trident) in a Vaiṣṇava Purāṇa context reinforces non-competitive unity: devotion to Śiva is upheld as a valid path to siddhi within the broader Purāṇic vision of one Īśvara revered in multiple forms.