Shloka 131

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

Devanagari script

भागीरथीं समेष्यन्ति सर्वपर्वसु सुव्रते अविमुक्तेश्वरं दृष्ट्वा दृष्ट्वा चैव त्रिविष्टपम्

Transliteration

bhāgīrathīṃ sameṣyanti sarvaparvasu suvrate avimukteśvaraṃ dṛṣṭvā dṛṣṭvā caiva triviṣṭapam

Translation

善き誓願を保つ御方よ、あらゆる聖なる祭のたびに、人々はバーギーラティー（ガンガー）へと集う。幾度も幾度も、アヴィムクテーシュヴァラ—カーシーを決して捨てぬシヴァ—を拝し奉れば、トリヴィシュタパ（天界）さえも見るに等しい。なぜならそのダルシャナは、パシュ（魂）を縛るパーシャ（束縛）をゆるめ、パティ（主）の境地へと導くからである。

Word by Word

• भागीरथीम्: the Bhāgīrathī (Gaṅgā)

• समेष्यन्ति: they will come/assemble

• सर्व-पर्वसु: on all sacred occasions/festivals

• सुव्रते: O one of good vow (address to the listener, often Pārvatī)

• अविमुक्तेश्वरम्: Avimukteśvara, Lord Śiva of Avimukta (Kāśī)

• दृष्ट्वा दृष्ट्वा: having seen again and again

• च एव: and indeed

• त्रिविष्टपम्: Triviṣṭapa, heaven (the celestial realm).

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the tirtha-mahatmya within the Linga Purana discourse)

Characters & Entities

• Ganga
• Shiva
• Avimukteshvara
• Trivishtapa

FAQs

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

It elevates Śiva-darśana at Avimukteśvara (Kāśī) as a direct, repeatable means of spiritual uplift—pilgrimage and reverent sight of the Lord function like linga-worship in a living kṣetra, dissolving bondage and granting the fruit symbolized as “heaven” and ultimately mokṣa.

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

Śiva is portrayed as Avimukteśvara—“the Lord who never abandons”—the Pati who remains accessible in the sacred field; repeated darśana signifies His grace as the liberating power that cuts pasha for the paśu.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Tīrtha-yātrā and darśana-sevā: visiting Gaṅgā on festival days and repeatedly taking darśana of Avimukteśvara, a devotional discipline aligned with Pāśupata orientation (turning the paśu toward the Pati through sacred place, remembrance, and worship).