Shloka 25

अविमुक्तक्षेत्रमाहात्म्य — काशी-वाराणसी में मोक्ष, लिङ्ग-तीर्थ-मानचित्र, और उपासना-विधि

Devanagari script

सारङ्गैः क्वचिदुपशोभितप्रदेशं प्रच्छन्नं कुसुमचयैः क्वचिद्विचित्रैः हृष्टाभिः क्वचिदपि किन्नराङ्गनाभिर् वीणाभिः सुमधुरगीतनृत्तकण्ठम्

Transliteration

sāraṅgaiḥ kvacidupaśobhitapradeśaṃ pracchannaṃ kusumacayaiḥ kvacidvicitraiḥ hṛṣṭābhiḥ kvacidapi kinnarāṅganābhir vīṇābhiḥ sumadhuragītanṛttakaṇṭham

Translation

En certains lieux, la contrée était embellie par des cerfs sāraṅga ; en d’autres, elle se trouvait voilée sous des monceaux de fleurs bigarrées. Ailleurs encore, elle résonnait des voix de jeunes Kinnara joyeuses, chantant des airs d’une douceur exquise et dansant au son de leurs vīṇās — révélant un domaine qui charme les sens tout en demeurant tourné vers la présence de Pati, le Seigneur Śiva.

Word by Word

• सारङ्गैः: by sāraṅga-deer

• क्वचित्: in some places

• उपशोभित-प्रदेशम्: a region made beautiful/adorned

• प्रच्छन्नम्: covered/hidden

• कुसुम-चयैः: by heaps/masses of flowers

• क्वचित्: in some places

• विचित्रैः: varied, many-colored

• हृष्टाभिः: by delighted/joyful (women)

• क्वचित् अपि: in still other places

• किन्नर-अङ्गनाभिः: by Kinnara maidens

• वीणाभिः: with vīṇās (lutes)

• सु-मधुर-गीत: very sweet songs

• नृत्त: dance

• कण्ठम्: throats/voices (i.e., vocal sound)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Kinnaras

FAQs

What is the importance of this verse in the context of Linga worship?

It portrays a sanctified Shaiva environment—flowers, auspicious beings, and devotional music—suggesting that the devotee should make the Linga’s space beautiful and sattvic, turning the senses into instruments of pūjā rather than bondage (pāśa).

How does this verse describe the nature of Shiva (Shiva-tattva)?

Shiva-tattva is implied as Pati, the centered Presence around which even celestial joy (song, dance, beauty) becomes harmonized; the realm’s delight does not distract but points the pashu (soul) toward the Lord who transcends and purifies experience.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Indirectly, it highlights pūjā-bhāva and Pāśupata orientation: refining sound (mantra/saṅgīta), sight (flowers/ornamentation), and mind (hṛṣṭa-bhāva) so sensory currents are redirected from pāśa toward devotion to Pati.