Shloka 17
Gaṅgā-Avataraṇa and the Naming of Gaṅgādvāra (गङ्गावतरणम्—गङ्गाद्वारप्रसिद्धिः)
ततश्चैवाधिकारश्च जायते दुष्टकारिणाम् । मद्दर्शने विशेषेण सत्यमुक्तं मया मुने
tataścaivādhikāraśca jāyate duṣṭakāriṇām | maddarśane viśeṣeṇa satyamuktaṃ mayā mune
“Thereafter, even those who commit evil deeds come to gain entitlement (to purification and right conduct). Especially through the vision of Me, this is truly what I have declared, O sage.”
Lord Shiva
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Sadāśiva
Jyotirlinga: Kedāranātha
Sthala Purana: Śiva declares the kṣetra’s special power: by His darśana, even duṣṭakārins gain adhikāra—i.e., fitness for purification and right practice—showing the primacy of anugraha over prior demerit when one enters the Lord’s field with some turning of intent.
Significance: Darśana is framed as transformative: it initiates moral-spiritual eligibility, loosening pāśa (mala/karma/māyā) and orienting the paśu toward śiva-bhakti and śiva-jñāna.
Role: liberating
FAQs
The verse teaches that Shiva’s grace is transformative: even those burdened by wrongdoing can gain adhikāra—fitness for purification and dharmic life—through sincere contact with Shiva, especially through His darśana.
In the Koṭirudrasaṃhitā context of Jyotirlinga glory, “My darśana” aligns with Saguna worship—seeing and worshiping Shiva as the Linga/Jyotirlinga—through which the devotee becomes eligible for inner purification and higher realization.
Seek Shiva-darśana with repentance and devotion—perform Linga-darśana and simple pūjā (water/abhisheka), and support it with japa of the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” to cultivate purification and right conduct.