Shloka 126

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

Devanagari script

उत्तरप्रवहां पुण्यां मम मौलिविनिःसृताम् पितुस्ते गिरिराजस्य शुभां हिमवतः सुताम्

Transliteration

uttarapravahāṃ puṇyāṃ mama mauliviniḥsṛtām pituste girirājasya śubhāṃ himavataḥ sutām

Translation

അവൾ പുണ്യമായ ഉത്തരപ്രവാഹിനി; എന്റെ ജടാമൗലിയിൽ നിന്ന് നിർഗമിച്ചവൾ; അവൾ ശുഭമയി, നിന്റെ പിതാവായ ഗിരിരാജ ഹിമവാന്റെ പുത്രി.

Word by Word

• uttara-pravahām: flowing northward

• puṇyām: holy, merit-bestowing

• mama: my

• mauli-viniḥsṛtām: sprung forth from the crown/topknot (matted hair)

• pituḥ te: of your father

• giri-rājasya: of the king of mountains

• śubhām: auspicious, beneficent

• himavataḥ: of Himavat (Himalaya)

• sutām: daughter

Speaker

Shiva

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Himavat
• Ganga

FAQs

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

It links purification to Shiva himself: the sacred current (Ganga) is described as arising from Shiva’s own matted crown, implying that tirtha-purity and linga-puja both culminate in Pati’s (Shiva’s) grace that washes away pāśa (bondage) from the paśu (soul).

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

Shiva-tattva is shown as the supreme purifier and regulator: even a cosmic river becomes auspicious and life-giving by being held and released from his mauli (crown/topknot), indicating his lordship (Pati) over sacred power and its right flow.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Tirtha-snāna and inner śuddhi (purification) are implied—approaching Shiva as Gangādhara in worship, using water offerings (jala/abhisheka) as a Shaiva act that symbolizes cleansing the paśu of pāśa through devotion and discipline.