Shloka 172

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

Devanagari script

विशोध्य सर्वद्रव्यैस्तु वारिभिर् अभिषिञ्चति संमार्ज्य शतयज्ञानां स्नानेन प्रयुतं तथा

Transliteration

viśodhya sarvadravyaistu vāribhir abhiṣiñcati saṃmārjya śatayajñānāṃ snānena prayutaṃ tathā

Translation

Having purified the sacred Liṅga and the place of worship with every sanctifying substance, he should then bathe it by consecratory sprinkling with water (abhiṣeka). When it has been duly cleansed, this ablution is declared to grant merit equal to a hundred sacrifices—indeed multiplied myriadfold through the sacred bath—when performed with bhakti to Pati, the Lord who releases the paśu from the pāśa.

Word by Word

• विशोध्य: having purified/cleansed

• सर्वद्रव्यैः: with all (ritually sanctifying) substances/materials

• तु: indeed

• वारिभिः: with waters

• अभिषिञ्चति: he anoints/bathes (by sprinkling), performs abhiṣeka

• संमार्ज्य: having wiped/cleansed thoroughly

• शतयज्ञानाम्: of a hundred sacrifices (hundred yajñas)

• स्नानेन: by bathing/ablution (snāna, abhiṣeka)

• प्रयुतम्: ten-thousandfold / a myriad (greatly multiplied)

• तथा: thus/so, in that manner

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva-puja vidhi to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It elevates abhiṣeka (ritual bathing of the Linga) as a supreme purificatory act, stating that careful cleansing and water-consecration can confer merit comparable to (and even multiplied beyond) major Vedic sacrifices, emphasizing bhakti-centered Shaiva ritual efficacy.

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

Shiva is implied as Pati—the liberating Lord—whose grace transforms ritual purity into spiritual merit that loosens pāśa (bondage) upon the paśu (individual soul), aligning outer abhiṣeka with inner purification.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The verse highlights Linga-abhiṣeka and saṃmārjana (ritual cleansing) as key steps of Shiva-puja; in Pāśupata framing, such disciplined worship supports inner śuddhi (purification) that prepares the practitioner for liberation-oriented practice.