Shloka 25
गौतमस्य शिवदर्शनं पापक्षयवचनं च | Gautama’s Vision of Śiva and the Teaching on Sin and Purification
सूत उवाच । शंभुश्चापि तदोवाच सर्वेषां हितकृच्छृणु । गंगे गौतममेनं त्वं पावयस्व मदाज्ञया
sūta uvāca | śaṃbhuścāpi tadovāca sarveṣāṃ hitakṛcchṛṇu | gaṃge gautamamenaṃ tvaṃ pāvayasva madājñayā
Sūta said: Then Śambhu (Lord Śiva) also spoke: “Hear, O you who work for the welfare of all. O Gaṅgā, by My command, purify this Gautama.”
Suta Goswami (narrating); Lord Shiva (speaking to Ganga within the narration)
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha
Jyotirlinga: Tryambakeśvara
Sthala Purana: In the Tryambakeśvara-māhātmya, Śiva intervenes in Gautama’s episode and commands Gaṅgā—renowned as the purifier—to cleanse the sage, establishing the site’s fame as a locus where Śiva’s grace operates through Gaṅgā’s sanctifying descent.
Significance: Bathing/ritual contact with Gaṅgā’s sanctity at Tryambakeśvara is framed as Śiva-ājñā–sanctioned purification of pāpa and restoration of ritual-spiritual purity; reinforces the jyotirliṅga as a grace-bestowing center.
Shakti Form: Gaurī
Role: nurturing
FAQs
The verse highlights Śiva as Pati—the supreme Lord whose will (ājñā) grants purification; even Gaṅgā’s sanctifying power is shown as functioning in alignment with Śiva’s grace for the welfare of beings.
Śambhu’s direct command portrays Saguna Śiva—personally guiding and blessing devotees and sages. In Jyotirliṅga contexts, this reinforces that tīrtha and liṅga-worship become spiritually fruitful through Śiva’s anugraha (grace).
It supports the practice of śuddhi through sacred bathing (snāna) with remembrance of Śiva’s name—especially japa of the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—as an inner and outer purification aligned with devotion.