Shloka 50
गौतमस्य शिवदर्शनं पापक्षयवचनं च | Gautama’s Vision of Śiva and the Teaching on Sin and Purification
सा गंगा गौतमी नाम्ना लिंगं त्र्यंबकमीरितम् । ख्याता ख्यातं बभूवाथ महापातकनाशनम्
sā gaṃgā gautamī nāmnā liṃgaṃ tryaṃbakamīritam | khyātā khyātaṃ babhūvātha mahāpātakanāśanam
ಆ ಗಂಗೆಯು ‘ಗೌತಮೀ’ ಎಂಬ ನಾಮದಿಂದ ಪ್ರಸಿದ್ಧವಾಯಿತು; ಲಿಂಗವು ‘ತ್ರ್ಯಂಬಕ’ ಎಂದು ಘೋಷಿಸಲ್ಪಟ್ಟಿತು. ಹೀಗೆ ಎರಡೂ ಮಹಾಪಾತಕಗಳನ್ನು ನಾಶಮಾಡುವವುಗಳಾಗಿ ಖ್ಯಾತಿಗೊಂಡವು।
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Tryambakeśvara
Jyotirlinga: Tryambakeśvara
Sthala Purana: Gaṅgā, established through Gautama’s tapas and Śiva’s favor, becomes known as ‘Gautamī’; the liṅga is proclaimed ‘Tryambaka’. Their fame rests on mahāpātaka-nāśana—removal of the gravest sins through contact (snāna/darśana).
Significance: Snāna in Gautamī-Godāvarī and darśana/abhisheka of Tryambakeśvara are extolled as destroyers of mahāpātakas; the verse provides the etymic charter for the kṣetra’s names.
Mantra: tryambakaṃ yajāmahe sugandhiṃ puṣṭivardhanam | urvārukamiva bandhanān mṛtyor mukṣīya mā'mṛtāt ||
Type: mahamrityunjaya
Role: liberating
Offering: pushpa
FAQs
It declares the sanctifying power of a Śiva-kṣetra: the Gautamī Gaṅgā and Tryambaka Liṅga become famed as agents of purification, indicating that grace received through Śiva’s sacred presence can burn even mahāpātakas when approached with devotion and right intent.
By naming the Liṅga “Tryambaka,” the text points to Saguna Śiva—Shiva worshipped through a consecrated symbol—where the devotee approaches the Lord’s accessible form (liṅga) for cleansing of karma and renewal of dharma.
Pilgrimage-oriented practice is implied: bathe in the Gautamī as a tīrtha, then perform liṅga-pūjā to Tryambaka with japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), optionally with bhasma (tripuṇḍra) and rudrākṣa as Shaiva marks of discipline.