Shloka 5

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

Devanagari script

देवः पुरा कृतोद्वाहः शङ्करो नीललोहितः हिमवच्छिखराद्देव्या हैमवत्या गणेश्वरैः

Transliteration

devaḥ purā kṛtodvāhaḥ śaṅkaro nīlalohitaḥ himavacchikharāddevyā haimavatyā gaṇeśvaraiḥ

Translation

പുരാതനകാലത്ത് ദേവൻ ശങ്കരൻ—നീലലോഹിതൻ—ദേവി ഹൈമവതിയുമായി വിധിപൂർവ്വം വിവാഹിതനായി; ഹിമവാന്റെ ശിഖരത്തിൽ നിന്ന് ഗണേശ്വരന്മാരോടൊപ്പം പുറപ്പെട്ടു।

Word by Word

• देवः: the Lord (Deva)

• पुरा: formerly, in ancient times

• कृतोद्वाहः: having performed/undertaken the marriage rite

• शङ्करः: Śaṅkara (the auspicious one)

• नीललोहितः: Nīlalohita (blue-red-hued Rudra)

• हिमवत्-शिखरात्: from the peak of Himavān (Himalaya)

• देव्याः/देव्या: with/to the Goddess

• हैमवत्या: Haimavatī (daughter of Himavān, Pārvatī)

• गणेश्वरैः: with the Gaṇeśvaras (lords of the gaṇas, Śiva’s attendants)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati
• Nīlalohita
• Himavan
• Ganas
• Gaṇeśvaras

FAQs

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

It frames the Shiva–Shakti union as a cosmic sanctification: Linga worship is not merely form-based devotion, but reverence to Pati (Śiva) inseparable from Śakti, the power through which grace and manifestation occur.

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

Śiva is presented as Śaṅkara (the auspicious Pati) and Nīlalohita (Rudra’s transcendent-immanent form), indicating the Lord who is beyond bondage yet enters the world to bestow order, auspiciousness, and liberation.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The verse foregrounds the sanctity of marriage-rite (udvāha) as a dharmic sacrament; in Shaiva practice it supports grihastha-dharma aligned with bhakti and Pashupata orientation—seeing all rites as offerings to Pati with Śakti as the pathway of grace.