Shloka 18
Gaṅgā-Avataraṇa and the Naming of Gaṅgādvāra (गङ्गावतरणम्—गङ्गाद्वारप्रसिद्धिः)
सूत उवाच । इति श्रुत्वा वचस्तस्याश्चक्रुर्वै ते तथाऽखिलाः । संप्रार्थ्य गौतमं दीनाः क्षंतव्यो नोऽपराधकः
sūta uvāca | iti śrutvā vacastasyāścakrurvai te tathā'khilāḥ | saṃprārthya gautamaṃ dīnāḥ kṣaṃtavyo no'parādhakaḥ
સૂત બોલ્યા—તેણીના વચન સાંભળી તેઓ સૌએ તેમ જ કર્યું. પછી દીન બની ગૌતમને વિનંતી કરીને કહ્યું—“અમે અપરાધી છીએ; અમને ક્ષમા કરો.”
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pashu
Jyotirlinga: Kedāranātha
Sthala Purana: The narrative turns to human response: after hearing the Goddess’s instruction (tasyāḥ), the group obeys and then seeks forgiveness from Gautama. This models paśu’s movement from error to śaraṇāgati, a prerequisite for grace in the kṣetra.
Significance: Shows the ethical core of tīrtha-yātrā: obedience to injunctions and confession/forgiveness (kṣamā-yācñā) as practical means to reduce karmic bondage.
Shakti Form: Pārvatī
Role: teaching
FAQs
It highlights the Shaiva ethic that spiritual progress begins with humility—acknowledging one’s fault (aparādha) and sincerely seeking forgiveness, which purifies the heart and restores dharmic alignment.
Linga-worship in the Shiva Purana is not only ritual but inner transformation; repentance and seeking pardon remove inner impurities that obstruct devotion to Saguna Shiva and the grace that leads toward realization.
A practical takeaway is aparādha-kṣamā-prārthanā—confession and a forgiveness-prayer before worship, followed by japa of “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” with a resolve to avoid repeating the fault.