Shloka 47
मित्रसह-राज्ञो रक्षत्व-शापकथा — The Curse that Turns King Mitrasaha into a Rakshasa
Vasiṣṭha’s Śāpa Narrative
तत्र सर्वेषु तीर्थेषु स्नात्वाभ्यर्च्य महाबलम् । सर्वपापविनिर्मुक्तः शिवलोकन्त्वमाप्नुयाः
tatra sarveṣu tīrtheṣu snātvābhyarcya mahābalam | sarvapāpavinirmuktaḥ śivalokantvamāpnuyāḥ
There, having bathed in all those sacred tīrthas and worshipped the Great and Mighty Lord Śiva, you shall be freed from every sin and attain the world of Śiva.
Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva’s tīrtha-māhātmya to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Sadāśiva
Sthala Purana: At Gokarṇa, bathing in the tīrthas and worshipping the ‘Mahābala’ Lord yields total release from sin and attainment of Śivaloka—typical tīrtha-mahātmya soteriology.
Significance: Defines the pilgrim’s trajectory: snāna (external purification) + arcana (devotional alignment) → pāpa-kṣaya (loosening pāśa) → Śivaloka (goal-state under Śiva’s lordship).
Role: liberating
Offering: dipa
FAQs
It teaches that sincere tīrtha-bathing combined with devoted worship of Śiva purifies accumulated pāpa and leads the devotee toward Śiva’s grace and attainment of Śivaloka.
In Koṭirudrasaṃhitā the tīrthas are linked to Śiva’s manifest presence—especially through Jyotirliṅga worship—so the verse emphasizes Saguna devotion (pūjā/arcana) as a direct means to receive Śiva’s saving grace.
Perform tīrtha-snāna with purity of intention, then do Śiva-arcana (offerings to the Liṅga), ideally accompanied by japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” and observances like bhasma/Tripuṇḍra as per Shaiva practice.