Shloka 24

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

Devanagari script

हंसानां पक्षवातप्रचलितकमलस्वच्छविस्तीर्णतोयं तोयानां तीरजातप्रचकितकदलीचाटुनृत्यन्मयूरम् मायूरैः पक्षचन्द्रैः क्वचिदवनिगतै रञ्जितक्ष्माप्रदेशं देशे देशे विलीनप्रमुदितविलसन्मत्तहारीतवृन्दम्

Transliteration

haṃsānāṃ pakṣavātapracalitakamalasvacchavistīrṇatoyaṃ toyānāṃ tīrajātapracakitakadalīcāṭunṛtyanmayūram māyūraiḥ pakṣacandraiḥ kvacidavanigatai rañjitakṣmāpradeśaṃ deśe deśe vilīnapramuditavilasanmattahārītavṛndam

Translation

その水は広く澄みわたり、白鳥の翼風に揺すられて蓮華はかすかに震えた。岸辺では芭蕉の間で孔雀が歓び舞い、驚かされたかのように優雅な動きを見せる。ところどころ、月のような孔雀の羽が落ちて大地を美しく染める。四方では、歓喜に酔う緑の鸚鵡の群れが林に溶けては再び現れ、喜び輝き—その地を、シヴァの臨在と礼拝にふさわしい、あからさまに吉祥なる霊域とした。

Word by Word

• हंसानाम्: of swans

• पक्ष-वात: wind (breeze) from wings

• प्रचलित: set in motion, made to tremble

• कमल: lotus

• स्वच्छ: clear, pure

• विस्तीर्ण: expansive, spread out

• तोयम्: water

• तोयानाम्: of waters/at the waters

• तीर-जात: arisen on the bank, situated on the shore

• प्रचकित: startled, suddenly excited

• कदली: plantain/banana grove

• चाटु: charming, graceful

• नृत्यन्: dancing

• मयूरम्: peacock(s)

• मयूरैः: by/with peacocks

• पक्ष-चन्द्रैः: ‘wing-moons’ (moonlike feathers/plumes)

• क्वचित्: somewhere, here and there

• अवनि-गतैः: fallen to the ground

• रञ्जित: colored, beautified

• क्ष्मा-प्रदेशम्: region of the earth/tract of land

• देशे देशे: in place after place, everywhere

• विलीन: disappearing, merging (into foliage)

• प्रमुदित: delighted

• विलसन्: shining, sporting

• मत्त: intoxicated (with joy)

• हारीत-वृन्दम्: flocks of green parrots

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse functions as a kshetra-prashasti: it marks the land as intrinsically pure and auspicious (śuddha-deśa), a supportive outer condition for Linga-puja where the devotee (paśu) approaches Pati (Shiva) through cleanliness, serenity, and sattvic surroundings.

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

By portraying a landscape that spontaneously radiates harmony and beauty, the verse implies Shiva as the immanent Pati whose presence sanctifies the field of experience; the ordered joy of nature hints at Shiva-tattva as the quiet ground in which the world’s movements become auspicious rather than binding.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

It primarily supports kshetra-sevana and dhyana: choosing a pure tirtha-like place for japa, meditation, and Linga-puja. Indirectly, it aligns with Pashupata discipline by cultivating inner calm through outer purity, reducing pasha (bondage) born of agitation.