Shloka 54
भैरवावतारलीलावर्णनम् (Bhairava-avatāra-līlā-varṇanam) — “Narration of the Divine Play of Bhairava’s Descent”
नन्दीश्वर उवाच । अनुगृह्येति दैत्यारि केंद्राद्रिभुवनेचरम् । भेजे विमुक्तनगरीं नाम्ना वाराणसीं पुरीम्
nandīśvara uvāca | anugṛhyeti daityāri keṃdrādribhuvanecaram | bheje vimuktanagarīṃ nāmnā vārāṇasīṃ purīm
Nandīśvara said: “Showing grace,” the Slayer of the asuras came to the holy region of Kendrādri and its sacred sphere, and he entered the city famed as the ‘City of Liberation’—the city named Vārāṇasī.
Nandishvara (Nandi)
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha
Jyotirlinga: Viśvanātha
Sthala Purana: Kāśī (Vārāṇasī) is praised as Vimuktakṣetra where Śiva grants taraka-upadeśa at death; here Nandīśvara frames Śiva’s arrival as ‘anugṛhya’—a deliberate descent to bestow liberation.
Significance: Residence or death in Kāśī is extolled as leading to mokṣa through Śiva’s special grace; darśana of Viśvanātha and bathing in Gaṅgā are central.
Role: liberating
Offering: dipa
FAQs
The verse highlights Shiva’s anugraha (grace) as the direct cause of liberation, and it presents Vārāṇasī (Kāśī) as Vimuktanagarī—sacred space where Shiva’s presence is especially oriented toward moksha.
By describing Shiva entering Kāśī, the verse points to Saguna Shiva’s compassionate accessibility through sacred places and forms of worship (including linga-upāsanā), where devotees approach the Lord who grants release through grace.
A practical takeaway is pilgrimage or inward “dwelling” in Kāśī through japa of the Panchākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), along with Shaiva observances such as bhasma (tripuṇḍra) and rudrākṣa as supports to remembrance of Shiva’s liberating grace.