Shloka 17
अवंतीस्थ-ब्राह्मणकथा तथा तृतीय-ज्योतिर्लिङ्गोपाख्यान-प्रस्तावना
Avanti Brahmin Narrative and Prelude to the Third Jyotirliṅga
यावंतो वेदधर्माश्च तावंतो दूरतः कृताः । तीर्थेतीर्थे तथा क्षेत्रे धर्मो नीतश्च दूरतः
yāvaṃto vedadharmāśca tāvaṃto dūrataḥ kṛtāḥ | tīrthetīrthe tathā kṣetre dharmo nītaśca dūrataḥ
All the duties enjoined by the Vedas were cast far away; and from pilgrimage to pilgrimage, from sacred region to sacred region, righteousness itself was driven far off.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pasha
Shiva Form: Mahākāla
Jyotirlinga: Mahākāleśvara
Sthala Purana: The verse intensifies the crisis: even tīrthas and kṣetras lose dharma’s presence, implying only a supreme kṣetra—Mahākāla’s Avantī—will become the pivot for restoration through Śiva’s manifestation.
Significance: Highlights the doctrine that kṣetra’s sanctity is ultimately upheld by the Lord’s presence; pilgrimage becomes fruitful when aligned with dharma and Śiva’s grace.
Type: stotra
Cosmic Event: Kali-yuga-like dharma-kṣaya motif (implicit)
FAQs
It warns that when people approach sacred places without purity, devotion, and right conduct, even Vedic duties and dharma become “distant.” From a Shaiva Siddhanta lens, outer holiness must be supported by inner surrender to Pati (Shiva), otherwise pilgrimage becomes spiritually barren.
Kotirudrasaṃhitā emphasizes Jyotirlinga pilgrimage; this verse cautions that merely visiting kṣetras is insufficient. True benefit comes when the pilgrim worships Saguna Shiva as the Linga with bhakti, humility, and restraint—so the sacred site becomes a gateway to Shiva’s grace rather than a social routine.
Practice tīrtha-yātrā with daily japa of the Panchākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), Linga-archana, and disciplined conduct (truthfulness, non-injury, purity). Applying bhasma (Tripuṇḍra) and maintaining mantra-focused awareness helps keep dharma “near” rather than driven away.