Shloka 171

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

Devanagari script

पलानां द्वे सहस्रे तु महास्नानं प्रकीर्तितम् स्नाप्य लिङ्गं मदीयं तु गव्येनैव घृतेन च

Transliteration

palānāṃ dve sahasre tu mahāsnānaṃ prakīrtitam snāpya liṅgaṃ madīyaṃ tu gavyenaiva ghṛtena ca

Translation

രണ്ടായിരം പലത്തിന്റെ ഫലമാണ് ‘മഹാസ്നാനം’ എന്നു പ്രസിദ്ധം. എന്റെ ലിംഗത്തെ സ്നാപിച്ച്, ഗോ-ഉൽപ്പന്നങ്ങളാലും നെയ്യാലും അഭിഷേകം ചെയ്യണം.

Word by Word

• पलानाम् (palānām): of palas (a weight-measure)

• द्वे (dve): two

• सहस्रे (sahasre): thousands

• तु (tu): indeed/and

• महास्नानम् (mahāsnānam): great ritual bath

• प्रकीर्तितम् (prakīrtitam): is declared/proclaimed

• स्नाप्य (snāpya): having bathed/after bathing

• लिङ्गम् (liṅgam): the Linga

• मदीयम् (madīyam): My (belonging to Me)

• तु (tu): indeed

• गव्येन (gavyena): with cow-derived substances (gomaya/gomūtra/kṣīra/dadhi/ghṛta—contextually ‘gavyas’)

• एव (eva): only/indeed

• घृतेन (ghṛtena): with ghee

• च (ca): and.

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva’s puja-vidhi as taught within the Purana’s internal discourse)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It defines a standard for ‘mahā-snāna’ (great abhiṣeka) by specifying a large, ritually significant measure (two thousand palas) and highlights ghee and cow-derived purity-substances as privileged media for honoring Śiva’s Linga.

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

By calling it “My Linga,” the verse presents the Linga as Śiva’s own manifest sign (liṅga) through which Pati is approachable; worship is not merely symbolic but a direct upacāra to the Lord who grants release from bondage.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Ablution (abhisheka) as puja-vidhi—specifically mahā-snāna with measured offering and bathing with ghee and gavyas—supporting a sattvic discipline aligned with Pāśupata orientation (purification leading toward loosening pasha).