नन्दिकेश्वरोत्पत्तिः — Nandikesvara’s Origin, Shiva’s Boons, and the Rise of Sacred Rivers
त्वयि स्नात्वा नरः कश्चित् सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते ततो देव्या महादेवः शिलादतनयं प्रभुः
tvayi snātvā naraḥ kaścit sarvapāpaiḥ pramucyate tato devyā mahādevaḥ śilādatanayaṃ prabhuḥ
汝にて沐浴する者は、いかなる人も一切の罪より解き放たれる。その後、女神の恩寵により、主マハーデーヴァはシラーダの子の至上の守護者となられた。
Suta Goswami (narrating the tirtha-mahatmya within the Linga Purana discourse)
It links purification (snāna in a Śaiva tīrtha) with pāpa-kṣaya, preparing the pashu (individual soul) for effective Linga-upāsanā and reception of Śiva’s anugraha (grace).
Śiva is presented as Prabhu and Pati—the sovereign liberator—whose grace operates in harmony with Devī (Śakti), indicating that liberation from pasha is ultimately grounded in divine anugraha.
Tīrtha-snāna (ritual bathing) as a purificatory practice that loosens pāśa-like impurities (pāpa), functioning as a preparatory limb supportive of Śaiva sādhana and Pāśupata-oriented discipline.