Shloka 189

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

Devanagari script

यः पठेच्छृणुयाद्वापि क्षेत्रमाहात्म्यमुत्तमम् सर्वक्षेत्रेषु यत्पुण्यं तत्सर्वं सहसा लभेत्

Transliteration

yaḥ paṭhecchṛṇuyādvāpi kṣetramāhātmyamuttamam sarvakṣetreṣu yatpuṇyaṃ tatsarvaṃ sahasā labhet

Translation

Whoever recites—or even listens to—this supreme account of the glory of the sacred Śaiva kṣetras instantly gains the full merit that is won by visiting all holy places.

Word by Word

• यः (yaḥ): whoever

• पठेत् (paṭhet): would recite/read

• शृणुयात् (śṛṇuyāt): would listen

• वा अपि (vā api): or even

• क्षेत्र-माहात्म्यम् (kṣetra-māhātmyam): the greatness/glory of a sacred place

• उत्तमम् (uttamam): supreme, excellent

• सर्व-क्षेत्रेषु (sarva-kṣetreṣu): in all sacred places

• यत्-पुण्यम् (yat-puṇyam): whatever merit

• तत्-सर्वम् (tat-sarvam): all of that

• सहसा (sahasā): immediately, at once

• लभेत् (labhet): would obtain/attain.

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It declares that reciting or hearing Śaiva kṣetra-māhātmya itself yields the punya of visiting all holy places, making devotion-centered engagement with Śiva’s sacred geography an accessible form of worship.

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

Śiva is implied as Pati—the supreme giver of grace—because merit is gained “at once” through śravaṇa and pāṭha, indicating that liberation-oriented fruit arises primarily from His anugraha rather than mere physical travel.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Śravaṇa (listening) and pāṭha (recitation) of sacred Śaiva narratives are highlighted as potent sādhana—supporting bhakti and inner purification, aligned with the Pāśupata aim of loosening pāśa for the paśu.