Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 5
अवभृथस्नान-तीर्थयात्रा-तेजोदर्शनम् | Avabhṛtha Bath, Tīrtha-Pilgrimage, and the Vision of Divine Radiance
अथ संतर्प्य देवादींस्तदीयैः सलिलैः शिवैः । स्मरन्तः पूर्ववृत्तान्तं ययुर्वाराणसीं प्रति
atha saṃtarpya devādīṃstadīyaiḥ salilaiḥ śivaiḥ | smarantaḥ pūrvavṛttāntaṃ yayurvārāṇasīṃ prati
അപ്പോൾ അവർ ശിവസംബന്ധമായ ആ പുണ്യജലങ്ങളാൽ ദേവന്മാരാദികളെ വിധിപൂർവ്വം തർപ്പണം ചെയ്ത് തൃപ്തിപ്പെടുത്തി, മുൻവൃത്താന്തം സ്മരിച്ചുകൊണ്ട് വാരാണസിയിലേക്കു പുറപ്പെട്ടു।
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha
Jyotirlinga: Viśvanātha
Sthala Purana: The narrative turns toward Kāśī (Vārāṇasī), Śiva’s city; the journey is framed as movement toward the supreme tīrtha where Śiva grants taraka-anugraha.
Significance: Propitiation with Śiva-sambandha waters and travel to Kāśī are presented as preparatory steps toward Śiva’s liberating grace.
Role: liberating
Offering: naivedya
FAQs
It highlights the Shaiva principle that sacred acts—such as propitiating the Devas with Śiva-connected tīrtha waters—purify intention and prepare the seeker for higher pilgrimage and liberation-oriented remembrance, here directed toward Kāśī.
The phrase “Śiva’s waters” points to saguna devotion through tangible sanctities (tīrtha, abhiṣeka, offerings). Such acts support Linga-worship by treating Śiva’s sacred mediums as carriers of grace, leading the devotee toward Śiva’s abode-like Kāśī.
A practical takeaway is tīrtha-sevana and offering sanctified water (jalārpaṇa/abhiṣeka) with remembrance (smaraṇa) of Śiva’s līlā—ideally accompanied by japa of the Pañcākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” while undertaking pilgrimage.