Shloka 169

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

Devanagari script

मुच्यते नात्र संदेहो ह्य् अविमुक्ते यथा शुभम् महास्नानं च यः कुर्याद् घृतेन विधिनैव तु

Transliteration

mucyate nātra saṃdeho hy avimukte yathā śubham mahāsnānaṃ ca yaḥ kuryād ghṛtena vidhinaiva tu

Translation

ഇതിൽ സംശയമില്ല—അവിമുക്തത്തിൽ ലഭിക്കുന്നതുപോലെ ശുഭമായ മോക്ഷം, വിധിപൂർവ്വം നെയ്യാൽ മഹാസ്നാനം ചെയ്യുന്നവനും പ്രാപിക്കുന്നു; അവൻ വിമുക്തനാകുന്നു.

Word by Word

• mucyate: is liberated/released

• na atra: here (in this matter) not

• saṃdehaḥ: doubt

• hi: indeed

• avimukte: in Avimukta (Kashi, the never-abandoned sacred place of Shiva)

• yathā: just as

• śubham: auspicious good (leading to liberation)

• mahāsnānam: great ritual bath

• ca: and

• yaḥ: whoever

• kuryāt: would perform/does

• ghṛtena: with ghee (clarified butter)

• vidhinā eva: by the rite alone/according to injunction

• tu: indeed/but

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It affirms that correctly performed Shiva-oriented purification (mahāsnāna), even using consecrated ghṛta, is a direct means to auspicious release—highlighting ritual purity as supportive of Linga-puja and Shiva’s saving grace (Pati-anugraha).

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

By centering Avimukta—Shiva’s “never-abandoned” abode—it implies Shiva as Pati, the sovereign liberator who cuts the pasha (bondage) of the pashu (soul) through sanctifying rites performed in alignment with śāstra.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

A prescribed mahāsnāna (great ritual bath) using ghṛta, performed strictly according to vidhi—an external rite that supports inner purification and readiness for Shaiva realization.