Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 23
शिवदूतगमनानन्तरं शङ्खचूडस्य तुलसीसम्भाषणं युद्धप्रस्थान-तत्परता च / After Śiva’s Messenger Departs: Śaṅkhacūḍa’s Counsel with Tulasī and Readiness for War
शुद्धस्फटिकसंकाशा भारते च सुपुण्यदा । पुष्पभद्रा नदी रम्या जलपूर्णा सरस्वती
śuddhasphaṭikasaṃkāśā bhārate ca supuṇyadā | puṣpabhadrā nadī ramyā jalapūrṇā sarasvatī
ಭಾರತದಲ್ಲಿ ಪುಷ್ಪಭದ್ರಾ ಎಂಬ ರಮ್ಯ ನದಿ ಇದೆ—ಅತಿಪುಣ್ಯದಾಯಕಿ, ಶುದ್ಧ ಸ್ಫಟಿಕದಂತೆ ಪ್ರಕಾಶಿಸುವಳು; ಅವಳೇ ಸರಸ್ವತಿ, ಸದಾ ಜಲಪೂರ್ಣವಾಗಿ ಹರಿಯುವಳು।
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pasha
Sthala Purana: The river is praised as supuṇyadā and identified with Sarasvatī; such river-identification functions as tīrtha-pratiṣṭhā, making bathing/ācamanam a vehicle of merit and purification in the campaign narrative.
Significance: Snāna and tarpaṇa in a Sarasvatī-identified stream are framed as śuddhi (purification) that weakens pāśa (mala/karma) and supports dharma before major undertakings.
Shakti Form: Tārā
Role: nurturing
FAQs
It praises a sacred tīrtha-river as “pure like crystal” and “merit-giving,” teaching that outer purity (holy waters) supports inner purity—making the mind fit for Shiva-bhakti and liberation-oriented remembrance of Pati (Shiva).
In Purāṇic Shaiva practice, tīrtha-snāna and reverence to sacred rivers are preparatory acts for Saguna Shiva worship—approaching the Liṅga with cleansed body and steadied mind, then offering water (jala-abhisheka) and mantra-japa.
A practical takeaway is tīrtha-snāna (or symbolic purification), followed by offering pure water to the Shiva-liṅga and chanting the Pañcākṣarī—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—with a sāttvic intention for merit and self-purification.