Shloka 61

भैरवावतारलीलावर्णनम् (Bhairava-avatāra-līlā-varṇanam) — “Narration of the Divine Play of Bhairava’s Descent”

Devanagari script

आगत्य तीर्थप्रवरे स्नानं कृत्वा विधानतः । तर्पयित्वा पितॄन्देवान्मुच्यते ब्रह्महत्यया

Transliteration

āgatya tīrthapravare snānaṃ kṛtvā vidhānataḥ | tarpayitvā pitṝndevānmucyate brahmahatyayā

Translation

Having come to the most excellent sacred ford and bathed there according to the prescribed rite, and having offered tarpana-libations to the ancestors and the gods, one is freed from the sin of brahmahatyā—the slaying of a Brāhmaṇa.

Word by Word

• आगत्य: having come
• आगत्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive), धातु: गम्, उपसर्ग: आ-; क्रियाविशेषणभावेन

• तीर्थ-प्रवरे: in the best sacred ford/place of pilgrimage
• तीर्थ-प्रवरे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रवर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन; समास: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/निर्धारणार्थे—‘तीर्थेषु प्रवर’

• स्नानम्: bath
• स्नानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive), धातु: कृ; क्रियाविशेषणभावेन

• विधानतः: according to rule/properly
• विधानतः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विधान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त (ablatival adverb) — ‘विधानतः’ = विधानेन/विधानानुसारम्

• तर्पयित्वा: having satisfied (offered libations to)
• तर्पयित्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तृप्/तर्प् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive), णिच्-प्रयोग (causative sense) — ‘तर्पयित्वा’ = तर्पयित्वा (having satisfied/propitiated)

• पितॄन्: the ancestors (manes)
• पितॄन्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन

• देवान्: the gods
• देवान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन

• मुच्यते: is freed/released
• मुच्यते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुच् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (Passive)

• ब्रह्महत्यया: from/through (the taint of) brahmin-slaying
• ब्रह्महत्यया: Hetu/Kāraṇa (हेतु/कारण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्म-हत्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन; समास: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष — ‘ब्रह्मणः हत्या’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Characters & Entities

• Pitrs
• Devas

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in the Shiva Purana?

It teaches that sincere, scripture-guided purification—tīrtha-snāna combined with honoring devas and pitṛs—can dissolve even severe karmic impurity, preparing the soul (paśu) to turn toward Shiva’s grace and liberation.

How does this verse relate to the worship of the Linga or Saguna Shiva?

In Shaiva practice, tīrtha and temple worship converge: bathing by rule and performing tarpaṇa are supportive purificatory acts (prāyaścitta) that make one fit for Saguna Shiva worship—especially Linga-pūjā—through which Shiva’s anugraha (grace) is sought.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform tīrtha-snāna as per vidhi, then do pitṛ-tarpaṇa and deva-tarpaṇa with water; as a Shaiva completion, one may follow with japa of the Panchakshara ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya") to internalize the purification.