Shloka 186

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

Devanagari script

अर्चयामास देवेशं रुद्रं भुवननायकम् अविमुक्ते च तपसा मन्दरस्य महात्मनः

Transliteration

arcayāmāsa deveśaṃ rudraṃ bhuvananāyakam avimukte ca tapasā mandarasya mahātmanaḥ

Translation

അവിമുക്ത (കാശി)യിൽ മഹാത്മാവായ മന്ദരൻ തപസ്സിന്റെ ശക്തിയാൽ ദേവേശനായ രുദ്രനെ—ഭുവനനായകനെ—ആരാധിച്ചു।

Word by Word

• अर्चयामास: worshipped

• देवेशम्: the Lord of the gods

• रुद्रम्: Rudra (Śiva)

• भुवननायकम्: leader/lord of the worlds

• अविमुक्ते: in Avimukta (Kāśī)

• च: and

• तपसा: by austerity, through tapas

• मन्दरस्य: of Mandara

• महात्मनः: of the great-souled one

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Rudra
• Shiva
• Mandara
• Avimukta (Kashi)

FAQs

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

It presents Rudra-arcana grounded in tapas at Avimukta, implying that Linga/Shiva worship becomes most potent when devotion is disciplined by austerity and performed in a sacred kṣetra associated with liberation.

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

Śiva is praised as Deveśa and Bhuvana-nāyaka—Pati, the supreme Lord who governs the cosmos and is approached through worship that purifies the paśu from pāśa (bondage).

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Tapas-based Rudra-pūjā (archanā supported by austerity), aligning with a Pāśupata orientation where inner discipline empowers outer worship and hastens grace.